#also Kaeya learning that and also doing the same thing

[maehwajuuuu-chu]

okay tho, OKAY THO, another fact because why not. Rai ALWAYS covers his ears when he is aware he is feeling embarassed around his friends, bc red ears are a super big tell tale sign. Anyways, Miuna being a literal menace about that and grabbing his hands so he can't hide his ears and like swinging around their arms with a :DDDDDDD face while Rai dies inside.

[kaeyachi]

One of the probable reasons as to why Kaeya didn't arrive on time for Crepus and Diluc when they were attacked was because he, and the knights with him, had no vision, and thus, cannot use a teleport waypoint.

Him receiving his cryo vision when he was supposed to get scorched by Diluc was genuinely the biggest slap to the face given to him by Celestia. It arrived just in time to save HIM.

Even now, the vision only heals and shields him alone as a manifestation of his desire to keep living from that fight... but he can't use it to help others.

[pearlymel]

Heart to heart

⑅˚₊ feat: Diluc, Alhaitham, Neuvillette, Ayato.

Summery: Romantic things you do with them, or they do to you.

notes: all fluff!! Gender neutral reader, mentions of taking a bath with neuvi but nothing sexual. This one was a short one but i enjoyed writing it nonetheless <33 not proofread i tried doing it while writing.

𓏲 ˖. Diluc.

— Picking flowers together. as cliché as that may sound, picking flowers has quickly become one of your favorite activities to do with your husband. Especially when you found a cute way to keep it on without tiring both of you too much, plus you could definitely store it in your journal books.

“Sweetie, hold on,” you take his wrist to adjust the tape around his skin that he seemed to struggle putting on, his confused expressions only fueling you more to do this with him.

“Darling, I’m failing to understand what’s the purpose of this…?” His frown turned upside down at your keen face. Seeing you all excited to do something with him again makes his heart race uncontrollably fast while he tries ignoring the pink rising through his cheeks by faking a cough with his fist covering his mouth.

“Flower bracelets.” You tell him, and before he could register in your words, you quickly laced your fingers with his and walked him out of the dawn winery for a short trip around the garden.

You soon demonstrated your idea of a bracelet flower to him, carefully picking the colorful petaled flower and sticking it on the tape around your wrist. He follows after, even serious about it when he walks around with your hand latched on his free hand, walking you around the bushes while making you sure you don’t trip or get hurt from the thorns of the bushes as he picks matching colors for both of you to wear.

— leaving love notes. But he strictly leaves the small notes around places only for you to see, he’d rather dig into his own grave than have Adelinde read those sweet words he saves only for you.

When you want journal on the desk, a note rests there. When you want to appreciate your appearance infront of the mirror? A note is right there. Do you want to change your clothes after a long day? Surprise, another “i hope you drank water.” Or “i miss you.” Note would hang there.

It has come to the point where you had to send him secret notes in return. So when Diluc opens the lunchbox you prepared for him to eat at angel’s share tavern during rush hours, he’s surprised to see a little hidden note.

With furrowed eyebrows, he picked up the note, eyes scanning through the neatly written “i miss you and i hope you enjoy your meal ♡︎” with a little heart at the end. He thinks he could almost faint.

“Tell me, what does it feel like to be married and have your heart race over the littlest sweet thi—“

“How about you fix your drinking habits, then maybe you won’t throw up infront of your date again. One closer step to marriage.” Diluc interrupts Kaeya’s usual teasings, who now has his jaw dropped. 

𓏲 ˖. Alhaitham.

— enjoying your hobbies together. Alhaitham loves nothing more than a good quiet time with his partner and the smell of new books in the air with every turn of a page. Now if you’re not into reading, then he would gladly read to you while you, sitting comfortably on the carpet with his back against the couch while you are above him sitting on the couch. Playing with his hair or even doing your own thing of you’d like. But if you don’t enjoy him reading to you either, then you talking or also indulging yourself in old hobbies would work for him. Anything as long as you were in the same room as him.

“… and so she came up to me and was like, what’s your hair routine?” You continue mindlessly talking about your earlier encounter with a random person while your hands were busy learning how to crochet.

“And did you tell her your secret?” He asked while flipping onto the next page of his book, “yeah, I wouldn’t gatekeep. Unless i used something that’s really hard to find in the market.” He hummed thoughtfully at your words, a small smile creeping upon his face. 

“And tada, I’m done.” You lower your hand to his head level to show him your newest crochet creation that you were pretty proud of. Although Alhaitham doesn’t know what it is… even when he tried avoiding the urge to ask, he needed to know what the hell you just created.

“And this is…?”

You gasp when he couldn’t immediately and magically figure out what it was, “it’s you!”

“Me?” He squinted at the green creature, fingers skimming over the soft material. Ah, he could finally see it. The little grey strands and wireless headphones that you managed to add. Oh well, he was going to add it to the collection on his shelf where you gifted him the other things you created.

“Thank you… sweetheart.” He let out a chuckle, turning his head to press a kiss at the side of your thigh and you swing your legs back and forth happily.

— cooking together. I believe Alhaitham knows how to cook, even if he doesn’t take a liking to it. It’s important to know and learn how to do things yourself and be independent, though he wouldn’t mind if you didn’t know how to cook. He would gladly cook for you, but he would teach you as well in the process.

“There’s like… sixty ingredients infront of me.”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“Okay there’s twelve ingredients.” You let out an exasperated sigh as you point out the arranged ingredients on the counter. “What are we even making?”

“Butter chicken.” Your stomach starts growling at his answer, and suddenly, you were determined to finish this dish with him.

“Firstly cut the onions, and ginger. Be careful with the knife.” He would start explaining it one by one while handing you the knife and cutting board. You don’t need to be told twice before you started cutting them up, the part where onions made your eyes tears totally slipped your head. Maybe it was a pain to cook.

“For… the butter chicken.” You say like you were going to disintegrate, Alhaitham shook his head while grabbing a tissue to wipe away those tears.

𓏲 ˖. Neuvillette.

— taking a bath together. As intimate as this sounds, He would rather do nothing but have a warm bubbly bath after a long day reading papers back at his office, with you of course. He finds the comfort of your presence with him to be soothing, and an escape to the overwhelming emotions he felt on a daily basis.

The sounds of moving waters and scrubbing of shampoo mixed with your skilled fingers massaging his scalp was the only thing disturbing the tranquility of the bath.

A low rumble leaves his throat, a soft sigh falling from his lips, “I cannot thank you enough, dearest.” The tension in his shoulders loosened as your nimble fingers massage his scalp, his head tilted back to melt back into your touch. And when you’re not washing him up, he would be right behind you, your back pressed up against his chest and his arms securely around your waist while he presses soft kisses along your shoulders.

“Are you happy, my love?” 

You snorted, “You’re asking obvious questions, honey.” 

“Mm, i can tell by your ear to ear smile. I was only making sure I’m not doing anything wrong.” You should definitely give extra reassurance for this inexperienced dragon.

— holding hands. Whenever neuvillette approached you, you should know that he would and will take your hand into his. Whether it be when you’re asleep, your hand would be held close to his chest. But of course he wouldn’t bother you while you do your chores.. unless you wanted to.. then he would gladly take your hand in his.

You were ready for him to take your hand when you both agreed on going out for a walk as the sun was setting. You watched how he pulled his gloves from his hands, the smooth, supple skin unveiling.

“Somehow, i feel honored to be the one holding your hand without the gloves.” You say in awe as you take his hand which earns a chuckle from him.

“As i am honored for you to accept holding my hand each time.” He spoke in that low and soft tone as you both started your stroll together.

Since it was rare for Neuvillette to be showing himself out in public, you tried taking him somewhere where he wouldn't attract much attention. Just the perfect place for both of you to talk about your day.

He would listen intently, letting the sound of your voice soothe him while he held your hand tightly, his grasp almost bordering on being too hard, but in reality, it was simply because he was afraid of losing you.

𓏲 ˖. Ayato.

— dancing together. It was only one time you mentioned it to him that you were in the mood to dance with him while everyone was asleep, including Thoma retiring for the night. And tonight, you definitely got your wish.

“Where did you learn how to dance?” Ayato smirked at your question as he led you effortlessly across the dancefloor, his hands firm yet gentle on your waist as he guided you in a graceful circle. 

“As the future head of the Kamisato Clan, it was expected that i learn the arts, including dance.” He twirled you around gracefully before pulling you back into his arms, his eyes locked on yours. “But i admit that tonight, I’m enjoying it more than ever before.”

"it's because I'm so good at this, right?" You add sarcastically while wiggling your eyebrows up and down. Ayato chuckled again, his smile widening a bit at your playful comment.

"Naturally, my dear," he said, his voice as well laced with a hint of sarcasm. "You're absolutely flawless, after all."

He pulled you a little closer, his hand snaking around your waist possessively.

"But yes, it doesn't hurt that I have such a graceful partner on my arm." He would then lean closer to rest his chin on your shoulder while you hummed, "You're lucky today, it's not everyday you get to see my talents." You whispered playfully, resulting to both of you laughing quietly in the hallways.

— playing board games together. Yes it's romantic if it gets you to laugh and fall in love more with them as you spend more time together, yes he would challenge you in a game of chess, and yes he would have to teach you how to play if you don't know the rules of it.

You sat across the table from Ayato, your eyes fixed on the chess pieces before you. The game was intense, both of you clearly well-matched. But with each move you made, Ayato was full of praise.

"Clever," he said, nodding in approval as you captured his bishop. "You're getting better at this, darling. Where did you learn to play like this?"

"Only learned from the best." You answer confidently before straightening your posture. But that doesn't mean his sweet talking should make you lose your focus on this game.

"Ah, you flatter me," he raised an eyebrow, his eyes briefly glancing towards you as he moved his knight. "And to think someone as talented as you would learn from me of all people." He spoke softly but in amusement, the words gliding smoothly off his tongue.

Just as you were about to celebrate victory too early, your squint at the board when he announced "checkmate" so innocently.

"I believe that's game," He looked up at you, his eyes gleaming. "Looks like I'll remain your teacher for a little while longer, wouldn't you like that?"

You sigh, a "yay." Escaping your lips unenthusiastically.

[genshin-obsessed]

Breaking Up hcs | Genshin & HSR

Have I done this before? I know I made that "what if we broke up?" post but I don't think I've done break up hcs before? I hope not anyway cuz i'm doing them now! Also, maybe I went overboard a little cuz even I felt bad lol and I usually don't feel sad when I write angst.

Characters: Aether, Diluc, Wanderer, Caelus, Jing Yuan, and Aventurine (lol I'ma try)

☽ Aether

That break up took a toll on him, more so than even he thought at first. Sleeping became his least favorite activity because he was constantly seeing your faces in his dreams. Constantly.

The entirety of Teyvat fell apart for the short time their favorite errand boy refused to do anything for them. Honestly, Aether didn't do anything for the first week or so. He was barely eating, barely sleeping, barely alive.

It was hard adventuring too, Paimon no longer wanted him to go because sometimes he'd just get distracted and take unnecessary hits. It was kinda bad. Eventually, she got Katheryne to no longer give him any combat requests because he just wasn't doing good enough.

All he wanted to do was talk to you, but you didn't want to talk to him, so that led him to just remaining in his teapot alone. He didn't even allow visitors for a short while. Paimon did her best to try and comfort him, but there were so few words that could actually get through that sorrow he was dealing with.

It took maybe a month before he allowed people to come visit him and under no circumstances were they allowed to bring you up. Mainly because he'd cry. Everyone did try in their own way to help him, even people like Wanderer or Arlecchino tried to give him some "words of wisdom". It... didn't work mainly because Aether wasn't receptive to it anymore.

☽ Diluc

He really did busy himself with work like he said he would. It's almost all hours of the day. He's rarely even seen at home anymore.

Ironically, Diluc is still very careful about getting hurt because if he did, then he'd need to remain at home and be on bed rest and he genuinely couldn't handle that.

He no longer sleeps in his bed either. Usually, he comes home later, collapses on the couch for a few hours until some dream about you wakes him up and he's back to work. He can't stand sleeping in that bed because you used to lay right beside him.

No one, I mean no one, is allowed to even say your name. Truth be told, Diluc is barely hanging on by a thread, someone saying your name and bringing your image to his mind's eye would ruin him.

Even Kaeya doesn't tease him. Actually, Kaeya keeps away because Diluc is quite irritable and not many people wanted to deal with that. While they understood the break up upset him... it was just too much.

☽ Wanderer

Oh boy. Breaking up with him was hard because he was angry and yelling (at the situation apparently), and just saying no. Eventually though, he relented and agreed. You didn't want to be with him and... well, it wasn't right to force you.

The aftermath was pretty bad. He was angry, didn't want to talk to anyone, and just up and vanished for a while. It wasn't until Aether and Paimon accidentally stumbled upon him while adventuring that they learned a little about what happened.

(W/n) explained that he never thought he'd lose you. Out of all the people he was "friendly" with, he never thought you would up and leave the way you did. It broke his heart- a heart he didn't even know started beating again.

Aether offered for (w/n) to join him on some adventures to just take his mind off of things and he, surprisingly, agreed. But it wasn't the same. Both Paimon and Aether noticed the lack of energy.

He was also constantly in his own mind. Most conversations happened between Aether and Paimon because (w/n) would just mentally check out and not even be paying attention. He didn't break down and cry physically but emotionally, he was a wreck. But it was so bad, he didn't know what to do. Cry, scream, try and take over the world, he didn't know.

What he did know was that the world didn't feel right without you.

☆ Caelus

You lived on the Astral Express with him and the others. Everyone thought you were the cutest couple and everywhere you went, you two received the same compliments. So, he definitely fell apart a little when you just up and ended the relationship.

The worst part was that he couldn't have time away from you. Not in the mean sense, but if you two were breaking up, he needed (for his own mental health) not to see you every single day. But... that wasn't possible.

It was extremely awkward for everyone on board. Welt and Himeko tried their best to keep things normal, the conductor did their best to keep conversations going, and Dan Heng just didn't bother coming out of his room. Caelus took a page from Dan Heng's books and just locked himself away for like two weeks.

When it was finally time for him to come out, he took time off of the express, choosing to go visit some old friends to regain some of that normalcy. Jarilo VI was where he spent most of his time as he hadn't been there in a while. He stayed there without the others for maybe two or so weeks, finding ample time to spend with Natasha, Seele, Bronya, Serval, and Gepard.

While he didn't openly state you two broke up, everyone knew. He did go and visit the Xianzhou which Dan Heng did join him in doing which was a good bonding experience for the two. It was when he finally opened up about losing you. According to Caelus, everything felt so wrong. Like a part of him was missing and that part was so close to his reach. But every single day, he had to pretend like it wasn't.

☆ Jing Yuan

He really didn't know what to do at the moment. He kinda stopped paying attention after you said you wanted to end the relationship. He tried to convince you otherwise, saying that breaking up wouldn't give him the chance to fix it but you were pretty adamant. He couldn't just say no... so he said ok and you were gone.

He tried to act normal. He did his job normally for the first day and that's when it all started to fall apart. The second he had time alone, it just hit him so painfully. You thought him losing his old friends was painful? This was a whole new level.

The second day, he couldn't really perform his duties as well and just handed them off to the first person he saw. Yanqing was most worried and desperately tried to get anyone's help because he didn't know what to do. It led him straight to the Astral Express and unsurprisingly, no one knew what to do.

Jing Yuan didn't even want help, honestly. He'd been hurting for years carrying the memories he did, so what was one more painful one? Maybe it was some sort of divine justice? Jing Yuan wasn't the most upstanding man, right? So he probably deserved this. What right did he have to just go and fix it?

Caelus did end up finding him out and about once, having the chance to share tea with Jing Yuan. The general explained he didn't know how to fix anything anymore. While it wasn't healthy to live life this way, it was his punishment probably. Caelus' concern led him to ask that burning question: why?

"I should've done better. Treated them better... maybe then... I'd still have them."

☆ Aventurine

He almost didn't register the words that came out of your mouth. You... break up with him? You were talking, explaining why, but he couldn't really follow. It's like his brain just stopped working and all he could think was 'this wasn't supposed to happen'.

At the end of it, you were gone and he was alone. Aventurine expected betrayal in his line of work, but he never expected it from you. Your "deal" with him was special. It wasn't like his normal deals. It was one that you two emerged equally victorious and no one lost anything. Right?

Even Ratio had pity for him. Aventurine waltzed around as if nothing happened but there was such a dramatic shift in his personality. He said the same things he always did, he acted as if he always did, but there was a distinct bitterness when he spoke of being let down.

When he told people to make use of him, there was a hint of resentment laced in his words. While he claimed he expected to be exploited at some point, there was still a twinge of fear. It never hurt before but for some reason, it scared him now.

He did briefly open up to Ratio, who was just berating him as usual, and it even took him by surprise. Aventurine didn't say much, but he did say how he figured everyone in the world to want to set him on fire for one reason or another. He just didn't expect it would be you to light the flame. Veritas called him an idiot and said you had every right to leave, which Aventurine wholeheartedly agreed with.

You did have every right to leave. You just didn't have the right to take whatever made him feel normal.

[dreamerinthemoonlight]

Genshin Guys as Boyfriends: Part 2 (Tartaglia, Kinich, Neuvillette)

It's been so long since I did ones for Kaeya, Xiao, and Thoma. Even though they were only reposted at the beginning of November, it's been ages since I wrote them

CW: None (seriously just fluff)

Tartaglia x gn!reader; Kinich x gn!reader; Neuvillette x gn!reader;

REQUESTS and ASKS are OPEN

Tartaglia

Same thing I said for Kaeya goes for Tartaglia in this one. He definitely has a teasing streak, but he'd be a really, really solid boyfriend

I mean, look how he treats his family. Dating him puts you pretty far up the list of people he values most

Nah, Tartaglia spoils the shit out of you. Fancy dates, gifts (he doesn't hesitate to use fatui funds to get you souvenirs during his missions), the works. He's away so much that he doesn't want you to forget that he really does love you

And when he's around you, expect him to be pretty clingy. He's always holding your hands or wrapping his arm around your waist, or just laying in bed spooning.

He won't say as much, but your presence is grounds him. After spending all his time fighting and threatening people, your company reminds him of what it's like to be a normal human

Kinich

Honestly, I think Kinich has a really hard time dating you at first

this kind of close relationship isn't something he's ever known, especially when you start telling him that shit you do doesn't have a price tag

it's a point of conflict, but he does start to get used to it, start to trust that his company is enough for you

That being said he's always trying to do stuff for you. Definitely an acts of service kinda guy. To the point you start to wonder if you owe him. it's at that point he realizes what you've been trying to tell him, that a relationship, by nature is one of give and take and shit like "prices" don't really factor in

after that things are much smoother

I think his favorite activities with you are stuff that doesn't involve a lot of other people. Cuddling a bit maybe, wandering around in the wilderness, I think he loves showing you all the little stuff he's learned over the years. Rather than going to fancy dinners he'd rather stay at home and cook with you

He's never very verbal about his affection, but one day he just comes up behind you and wraps you in a hug and you just feel really, really lucky because that kind of affection isn't natural to him

Also, Ajaw learns really quickly that being mean to you is a one way trip to time out

Neuvillette

Calm, stable, loving Neuvie. I love him so much

I think of the three, Neuvie is the most stable. Tartaglia is a battle-hungry maniac (and I love him for it) and Kinich is traumatized to no end. Neuvillette is just a workaholic

But even if he's a workaholic, I don't see him saying no if you want to sit and read on a couch while he does paperwork

He'd be so affectionate. Kisses to the backs of your knuckles, soft touches to your hair

In public he's not a fan of excessive PDA, though he will hold your hand, but in private he's really, really touchy. Loves to lay his head on your lap (of have you lay your head in his, he doesn't really care). Tons of cuddling and just sweet little touches

Also, hair brushing. I think in his case that's a whole ass love language. You could spend hours brushing his hair, gently combing out every tangle. And then he does the same for you, or if you don't have much hair, he still spends a lot of time with his fingers in it.

I guess, a good way to put it is Neuvie is all about that quiet, soft intimacy

He's not possessive at all and always encouraging (of everything except crime, he'd rather not see you in the defendant's box) and just ooooooo. He's just the perfect boyfriend

[illumnis]

your presence is my dream. ― you are the light he follows in the dark to find safety, you are the lighthouse that provides him comfort when he's lost in the cruel sea, you are what he connects to others; the good traits and the bad traits- you are what encourages him to love freely, anything and everything. so what's so bad about admiring an angel at work?

pairing: var!genshin men x gn!reader (seperate!!)

warnings: established relationship, tooth-rotting fluff (unedited!!)

note: i'm writing this on my dad's macbook so this is like foreign ground for me,, the formatting might be a little weird. ALSO i haven't written in a hot min so i'm def going to be out of practice!! i’m sorry in advance if this work is not to my usual standards <;/3

art creds: dannylailai on artstation

it wasn't that your boyfriend was disturbed by the sudden interruption to your date. at first, of course, he was shaken up and slightly disappointed, but seeing the way you lit up was enough to settle his nerves.

your passion, your drive, and the simple notion to never let your love stay caged within a set of limbs, you loved, and freely at that. when he first met you, it scared him a little- how easily you found it to share a piece of your heart with the world. how willing you were to let things break your heart and to forgive because; that will be how it will be.

with you, he learned. with you, the world has become twenty times more colourful (as cliche as it sounds).

despite how much he has learned, to love every piece of the world ardently, he still manages to save the admiration for you.

though, he'll never admit that despite how much he appreciates every patch of grass, or blooming flower, or wise tree, he'll always find you the most breathtaking.

your eyes lit up with fervour- you were reminiscing about something with such passion to your old friend who had welcomingly interrupted his and your date.

he decides to listen in for a moment, still keeping gentle eyes drifting around your face. the curve of your lips, the glisten in your eyes, the tint of your skin.

if he wasn't delighted by you already, now he'd really have a field day.

"yeah! i don't think i missed anything... hey, do you remember anything from our first date that i missed?" you wonder, your head tilting in his direction and looking at him with not-so-sercret admiration.

he felt his heart soar, he tries to maintain his composure with an utterly content smile. he's scared that if he let's his resolve fall, his smile will reach as high as the clouds.

you had been talking about him with that fervour. he had been the reason for the twinkle of mirth in your eyes. he had been the cause of this avid passion.

the two of you stare at each other for a second. you, still expecting a response, hum and tilt your head in anticipation. at the slightest, he let's his smile twitch upwards.

the beat of your heart picks up as you catch his gaze drifting from your eyes, to your lips, and back up to your eyes.

in his eyes, a luster of affection dancing through his irises, which only makes you fight off the reverent grin that tries to mold it's way onto your lips.

he then breaks his gaze, looking over at your friend politely, the same passion you held evident on his eyes, but not his face.

he then looks back at you and once again, his smile grows at the sight of you, "no, i think you covered it all."

— boys who (begrudingly or not) admit that your mere presence is enough to enliven him- or in other words; idiots in love: childe, lyney, tighnari, kaveh, kazuha, wanderer, alhaitham, neuvillette, heizou, zhongli, kaeya, baizhu, albedo, wriothesley (I CAN LITERALLY SEE SO ANY PPL HELP)

navi. mlist.

[claudemblems]

Kaeya + Diluc Flirting Headcanons | Genshin Impact

Summary: How they flirt with you at the beginning vs. a long time into your relationship. Fem!Reader.

Notes: No thoughts head empty I just want them to flirt with me too owo

Kaeya Alberich

Beginning of the Relationship

This man is a sweet talker to the max

He's just over the moon that you chose him out of everyone else and so he just has to lavish you in all his love in return!

That and it's hard to shake off the flirty persona he's had for so long. But you don't seem to mind it so he just uses it to his advantage

But he's kind of a brat about it. He won't lie: seeing you lose your composure over him fills him with a sense of pride. No one else can turn you into a flustered mess like he can

He also likes to try different pet names out on you, paying careful attention to which ones elicit a reaction. And then he strictly uses that pet name to refer to you, even in public. As far as he's concerned, "Darling" is your name now!

But if you try to flirt back, he'll either 1) be virtually unfazed by your attempt (nice try, though, you're cute) or 2) feel his face turn red as he struggles to find a witty response. Congrats, you've broken him!

You always manage to surprise him, which is something he thoroughly enjoys. It makes him that much more eager to one-up you the next time

Established Relationship

Kaeya is still the same flirt as ever, but now he's a lot more toned down with his romantic gestures

He doesn't want to overdo it or make you feel like he's putting on an act around you. He knows you're satisfied just having his attention, and he's more than willing to give it to you

His gaze is much softer now, and he looks at you with a visible fondness in his eyes. The sight leaves butterflies fluttering in your stomach

He's realized you find his sincerity most attractive, so he focuses on making you feel wanted and loved (something that deep down, he aches to feel, too; good thing he has you <3)

You can say his love is like a mixture of sugar and spice. He riles you up with actions like his breath fanning against your neck, but then he presses a sweet kiss to your cheek, reminding you of how much he loves you

Diluc Ragnvindr

Beginning of the Relationship

This man has absolutely no rizz lol

Every time he's managed to fluster you so far has been completely by accident (his good looks and attractive voice work wonders for him)

Most of the time he doesn't even know what he did to make you blush, but seeing you turn shy because of him does something to his heart

He will be thinking about it all day to the point where he'll be tending the bar and Kaeya will have to snap him out of his daze (all while teasing him because that's what brothers do)

Honestly, you tend to successfully flirt with him more than he does with you, but he has no complaints about it

He does, however, try his best to find ways to make your heart skip a beat. Whether that's by gifting you flowers or treating you to dinner, he wants you to feel as loved as you make him feel

If he's really in need of ideas, he begrudgingly asks Kaeya for help. He might even read some romance novels to get inspiration

Established Relationship

Though still awkward and clumsy at times (he tries too hard, bless his heart), Diluc has made great strides in his flirting abilities

He's learned that it's best to just let his heart guide him. It helps that he just harbors so much love for you that he unconsciously shows it to you through his actions

He's also aware that you really like when he wears that one outfit during his shift at Angel's Share, so he shows off a little by rolling up his sleeves or tying up his hair, all while sneaking a smirk or two your way

Knowing that he's the only person that can render you speechless sets his heart ablaze

But Diluc can only do so much flirting before he ends up becoming the flustered one. Your expressions are just so endearing. It's not fair!

And when you look at him like he's everything you've ever wanted, he melts. He scoops you up into your arms and whispers the depths of his love to you

He'll do all that and more to make you smile. Anything you want. He's already yours, but he'll prove it if he must

[noctilucous-sunni]

game developer!creator in sagau that can play around with glitches and bugs, make things spawn or disappear instantly, which everyone perceives as magic or godly powers so therefore you must be the all creator if you can play around with the world as you wish, similar to the matrix in a way :))

(junior?) developer!creator in sagau thinking it must be a dream because how else can you play around with teyvat’s physics as if you’re coding in unity?

developer!creator in sagau saying their thoughts of fixing glitches or adding code out loud and its as if a big code editor pops up in the sky that only you can see which directly allows you to change the world as you see fit (you can even change it to a smaller one)

developer!creator in sagau having too much fun by creating a pen of boars and having them spawn continuously for xiangling and doing the same thing with fish and happily allow klee to go fish blasting forever without even changing the landscape because they can put it back together seamlessly

developer!creator in sagau having too much fun with bombs and spending time with albedo and sucrose in their lab

developer!creator in sagau teasing childe/ayato/cyno during a sparr by making their weapons disappear by muttering lines of code which instead looks like a incantation for a magic spell

developer!creator in sagau drinking with kaeya and venti in angel’s share, only buying one drink but constantly refilling it with their coding prowess causing diluc to frown and later kick kaeya and venti out, but not you, oh not his precious all-creator (that was mildly getting on his nerves)

developer!creator in sagau bonding with layla and kaveh over how stressful university is, complaining and encouraging each other

developer!creator in sagau struggling to figure out how to make themselves fly just so they can try to catch wanderer every time he flys off in a huff or with a teasing mark

developer!creator in sagau being head over heels for dain and trying to spawn a farm of khaenri'ahn flowers, the inteyvat, hoping that he doesn’t hate you because you’re somewhat a god yourself

developer!creator in sagau playing tcg with cyno and tighnari and kaveh and alhaitham and yet completely cheating with their powers just to mess with cyno because they think it’s hilarious and eventually apologize, creating a special deck personalized for him

developer!creator in sagau chatting with alhaitham about the language of code because he’s a little language nerd and learning about how you can literally change the world anytime you want

ALSO i added this real quick, but developer!creator working with albedo to make glasses/contacts because they can’t handle seeing the world in code constantly, they want to experience the world too, plus it gives them headaches

[kazumist]

CLICHÉ TROPES WITH THEM .ᐟ

✩ — includes: various x gn!reader. fluff and crack. no cws. wc: 1603 (yeah i know it's pretty long). reblogs and feedback are very much appreciated !! :D

diluc — !

the one trope where the two main characters end up living together. you were going to move in with kaeya, who was also a good yet troublesome friend of yours. but you ended up meeting his brother at the doorstep with his luggage instead of him? that’s quite peculiar. you loved kaeya, you really did, but making you live with someone you rarely even know (you both know each other’s names but nothing other than that) just to spice up your life? it’s something that you’d definitely hate him for.

but hey, at least you get to live with someone less troublesome and actually do chores properly, right? oh, how wrong you were; diluc was worse than kaeya. yes, he knows how to cook and clean, as well as other chores, but communicating with him is one of your main problems. more headaches that you have with him are that you never have the same opinion with him, unlike you did with kaeya. so much for hoping that they’d at least be a bit similar. however, there’s still hope to get along with him, right?

childe — !

the trope where it’s idiotic love but also mutual pining in high school. both of you know that the other likes them back, but you both deny it, thinking that it’s some mistake. your relationship with childe is quite frustrating—from those small hugs and the moments of the two of you laughing when he walks you home from school, it’s frustrating to the point that both of your friends abandoned you on your problem and decided that the two of you suffer with it alone.

there’s also the festival, where you and childe just ditch the whole event and chill at some abandoned playground. you got to know each other better, yet you’re both scared to admit your feelings—the hesitation is quite obvious if either of you try to bring up the topic. but finally! you and childe decided to go by the bridge to watch the fireworks more closely, and that’s when the two of you finally confessed. there wasn’t the "kiss under the fireworks" kind of thing; no, childe was leaning on the bridge too much to see the fireworks clearly, to the point that he fell and pulled you with him into the water. so all of your mutual pining and stupidity just resulted in you and childe freezing! how romantic indeed!

xiao — !

childhood friend to lovers, but your romantic moments always get interrupted (plus, you’re dense about xiao’s feelings). everyone always comments on how the two of you look, but you and xiao always shake it off, saying that "we’re just close friends, nothing special." but when did "close friends" accompany each other to go shopping? when did "close friends" decide to hold hands frequently, even in public, with your other friends?

there were a lot of moments of xiao wanting to express his romantic perceptions to you, but every time he attempted it, he got unfairly disturbed by someone calling you on your phone or someone entering the scene. it was frustrating; xiao doesn’t show it, though. but maybe now is not the time to confess just yet? he’ll get his chance soon.

albedo — !

he’s the quiet art kid who always works near the back of the classroom. you two got paired up for an important project. (mind you, it was a mixed-class thing. albedo is in another class while you were in a different class too.) but the thing is, you know nothing about art, nor did you really have good grades for it. you were basically the hopeless one between you and albedo but he was willing to help you learn the usual basics. he was rather patient with you; even if you made errors, he wasn’t strict with his teaching, nor was he angered by how much of a slow-paced learner you are.

he was just... calm during your moments together. but alas, good times have their endings, and you two luckily finished your project. you’d admit it—you had fun with albedo. to the times where you would chase each other to smudge paint on each other’s faces or the times where you would accidentally fall asleep while working on your project, leaving albedo to do the majority of it—you’ll miss it. however, there’s still a chance that you can spend more time alone together, right?

kaeya — !

the flirty coworker who seems to slack off most of the time but actually gets his work done. your work space is right next to his, which gives him more access to bother you even further. you really wonder how he gets his job done—or how he still even works at the place—when all you can remember are his cheesy pick-up lines and questions about whether he could treat you to dinner. kaeya would never shut up when he was around you. he’s always blabbering about the most random things. even though it does seem like you aren’t interested, you actually pay attention to his ramblings.

kaeya is somewhat the person who makes your work experience quite interesting, even though all he does is ramble and flirt with you. you didn’t mind his flirtatious actions, but you can’t really say if it would be a good decision. does he do this to other people too? or are you the only one he ever bothers to even flirt with? you didn’t know. he makes you so confused, to the point that it’s frustrating. and so you confront him, asking him if he’s just doing all of it for boredom or if he's actually willing to try a relationship with you. the second that kaeya would hurriedly press his lips against yours, you got your answer: you were the only one he ever bothered this much.

zhongli — !

you and he are both teachers who are shipped together by the majority—a very old trope. if childe (who was also your fellow coworker as a teacher) hadn’t start teasing you on how you and zhongli spend your breaks together, then the school wouldn’t have known. you truly do enjoy your breaks with zhongli; you two just chatter about how the other has been or introduce new things that the other doesn’t seem to know about. nothing too romantic, right? but what if the teasing and shipping that childe had started actually made you have second thoughts if you were catching feelings for him?

kazuha — !

awkward and silent bookworm who wants to have his peace and quiet, but you always disturb him. until one day you didn't, and he gets confused, but that’s when he realizes that he actually likes you and your bubbly self. kazuha had always appreciated and even enjoyed his time with you. he just didn’t know how to show it. he didn’t know how to say that he adores how you talk, how he loves it when you get happy at the smallest things, and how he gets ever so lovestruck when you flash him that smile that he knows was directed at him.

kazuha doesn’t know how to say all of this in the flowery words his mouth spills, so his only choice is to keep quiet about it. to keep it to himself, but he knows one day he has to let it out. and he did. during the one day you weren’t cheery like you usually are, kazuha knew something was up. it took you a while to let it out, but you eventually told him how you felt so tired with all of the schoolwork and how exhausted you were to even stop being all happy. kazuha listened to you and even gave tips on how to maintain your school life, and you never felt so grateful for meeting him. maybe one day he'll also get his chance.

thoma — !

the trope where he’s a popular yet stupid senior. he has really bad grades, so you were asked to tutor him for your upcoming final exams of the year, or else he would have to repeat a school year instead of moving up. you were simply too smart for people around your age, but you didn’t want to comply. (you did anyways because who knows what the consequences will be?) and so the two of you had an awkward start. with thoma scratching his neck as you stare him down with the most neutral look a person can pull, that’s how your tutoring sessions started.

when the exam results came, and wow! thoma passed! and that means he gets to move on with life, but that also means that he has to leave the school, and he’ll never see you again! you weren’t planning to get attached to him, but you did. and you weren’t that shy to admit that you’d always crack up whenever thoma would act all goofy around you during your tutoring sessions. and thoma loved it when you looked so calm whenever you taught him. he may or may not have pulled that one move where he would tuck your hair behind your ear just so he could see your face better. just who knew you’d develop feelings for a guy like him?

scaramouche — !

you’re each other’s academic enemies. and not only that, you compete between smarts; you both fight over anything, maybe even everything. everyone would tease you both, saying things like, "just confess already! we know you two like each other!" or something like that. but did you? did you actually have feelings for each other but were too proud to admit it, so you two just fought about it? maybe. just maybe.

[naivegh0st]

So this was originally going to be on my random Jean headcanons post but it really did not fit the tone, so it gets its own post ig.

One of my very first proper headcanons about Jean was that she sees herself as someone who's incapable of properly giving or receiving love. Like she reads all these romance novels and enjoys them and sometimes even allows herself to fantasise and imagine it happening to her, but that's kinda all it is - fantasy, like it's not something she views as a possibility for herself.

I just think she feels this way for so many reasons because like, we have Seamus (who I headcanon as the more outwardly showing of love out of their parents) and Barbara leaving when she was (at least in my headcanon) around 12 or so, which is really young to lose the two most prominent sources of love in your life, and kinda starts her on the "oh I can't have this" mindset, especially as I think Frederica's love was SO conditional (or at least her showing it was), so she learns that love isn't something that she just gets.

Also with losing Barbara she loses the person who she gives the most love to (not that I think she was that great at giving it in the first place) and they grow really estranged so she's kinda like "huh okay that didn't work. at least I have Kaeya and Diluc and nothing will go wrong there!!". (also along with losing giving love to Barbara, I think she also lost giving it to Frederica as their relationship became more mentor and trainee than mother and daughter).

But yeah so she lost all that but at least she has Kaeya and Diluc who she can love and will love her in return and then well Crepus dies and Diluc and Kaeya have that massive fight and Diluc leaves so that's another source of love lost and yeah Kaeya's still here but everything is different and weird now and every interaction feels like there's some underlying tension that neither of them really understand and it's so hard to go from being a group of 3 to being a group of 2 so abruptly especially when things ended so bad.

And I think as a reaction to the rejection he got from Diluc Kaeya distances himself from Jean, at least in the immediate aftermath, and it's kinda worse that he's still here and that he didn't just up and leave because he's here so why can't Jean be normal and give and receive that love from him like they used to. Why can't she do and say the right things and make it all good again and give this love to her friend that needs it. Again, this would be especially made worse if she does try to give this love and Kaeya just rejects it. They just can't properly talk to each other about things anymore, everything is either just ignored or talked around with a 10 metre berth.

And then it's a similar thing when Diluc comes back 3 years later because yeah he's here now but how do they make things normal and they've all changed so much in that time apart like they've all become so closed off in their own ways how are they ever meant to have that free giving and receiving of love again. It just feels so impossible, like something Jean just isn't meant to have.

And then if we factor Klee into the equation of this child who is left partially in her care that she just does not know how to look after or talk to at all. Like she tries but she only really knows how to take on the role of discipliner or teacher, not caregiver. This is made worse by the fact that as Acting Grand Master she has to constantly be disciplining Klee as to ensure she is not a danger to Mondstadt. And what stings is that she really wants to show that care to Klee, to give this child what she didn't get from her own mother, but she just doesn't know how. And I think it gets to the point where she's like "the most loving thing I can do for this child is ensure she spends more time around people like Kaeya or Albedo who can give her what I can't". And just kind of gives up on herself in that regard.

At the same time we have Barbara becoming deaconess and idol, a beloved healer and public figure and the whole time Jean is aware this is happening and wants to show her support as her sister but feels she isn't entitled to that role anymore and is too busy to currently fill it, and even if she had the time where would she start. And there's probably a part of her that is like "Well Barbara's doing better without me, she probably doesn't want me intruding on her life." And tells herself she's content from watching from afar, again viewing this as something that she just cannot have.

And also because she is just working so much and makes little time for personal relationships outside of work it does just leave her more isolated which probably heightens this whole "I'm just not able to properly give or receive love" like it's a luxury that she can't afford, it's just something she can't have for so many reasons.

And that's why I think ships with Jean are so interesting because we've got this whole I no longer know how to give/receive love, something will go wrong if I do, I'll just be imposing on the other person's life, I don't have time for it and I probably don't deserve it anyway barrier to get through which requires so much patience from the other person, because no matter how much Jean wants it (if she even realises she does) she will find a reason to say no to herself.

[fallingdownhell]

Could I request Diluc, Kaeya, Zhongli and Childe finding out their sweet, gentle s/o has a delusion given to them by their father, who is a former Fatui harbinger?

Very interesting concept. I like it!

Characters Included: Diluc; Kaeya; Zhongli; Childe

Content: gender neutral reader; established relationship

Word count: 1k words

Have fun with this!

Diluc

given his history with Fatuis and delusions, he'd want you to get rid of it as soon as he finds out

and if you refused, than he'd still ask you to at least not use it. At all

he knows all to well the effects and sideeffects that using a delusion could bring and he does not want any of it to happen to you

he couldn't bear losing another loved person the same way like he lost his father all those years ago

He can acknowledge it's sentimental value to you, seeing as it was given to you by your father, but it's still a delusion

if you are unaware of its effects, Diluc would take it upon himself to inform you about everything, every little detail he knows about

and if he didn't tell you about his fathers death and the circumstances by then, he would definitely do so now

on one hand, it would serve as an example as to why not use the delusion and on the other hand, he hoped that you would better understand why he absolutely does not want you to use it

if you would absolutely insist on still using it, because it was a gift, he would not like the fact, but keep a close eye on you every time you do so, to make sure you were safe and nothing would happen to you

however, if you insist on using the delusion more and more, I feel like Diluc would have no choice but to leave you and this relationship, since he absolutely does not want to see you succumb to it

he will tell himself that he tried his best to protect you, but in the end, you're still your own human and can make decisions for yourself. And as much as he wouldn't like it, he would never force anything onto you, even if it means the end for you two like this

Kaeya

Kaeya also learned about Delusions and their effects through the events that happened with Crepus when he was still a teenager

he knows that delusions have a close tie with the Fatui

and while he thinks of them as dangerous, he does see the benefits that come with using them as well

so he's torn about it when he learns that you were gifted one from your father

on one hand, he views it as a tool that will allow you to keep yourself safe, since you don't handle a vision and don't belong to the knights of Favonius

on the other hand, he's concerned about the side effects that might befall you when using it excessively

So, the best thing he can think about, is to sit down with you and talk to you about everything. About his concerns, the potential benefits, his overall thoughts..

if you are unaware, he would lay out all the facts for you as well, so that you can decide for yourself how to best handle this situation

the best case outcome for him would be if you agreed to only using it in times of danger with no other way out. It would be the ideal solution

However, in the end, the choice is still up to you, and Kaeya will stick by your side no matter how you decide. He tells himself that he can deal with everything that might be thrown your and his way, so long as you don't leave him as well..

Zhongli

He's painfully aware of the existence of delusions

and while he does not fully understand how exactly they work, he knows that they are dangerous and should be handled with utmost caution

When he finds out that you're in posession of one, he would first ask you how you even got around to one, because that would mean that you had ties to the Fatui themselves

When you told him that your father had gifted it to you, he began to do some research about him and that's how he found out that you father was a former Harbinger

The next thing he would do was figuring out what you fathers intentions were when he gifted the delusion to you. Was he genuinely concerned about you and wanted you to be able to defend yourself if need be? Or did he have some form of hidden agenda in mind?

Overall, Zhongli would try to find out all information possible, trying to answer all his questions before he takes any action whatsoever

He would not be too happy if you decide to keep the deluison, mostly because of it's uncertain origins and effects, but he would also not act against you

Instead, he keeps to monitoring you, making it his duty to remember every little change that may or may not occur to you when using it

And should he notice any bad signs, he would take you to the doctors immediately, wanting to keep you safe as much as he possibly could

Childe

Being a Fatui himself - and a Harbinger at that - he knew exactly what the risks and benefits of using a delusion were

And he was also aware that it should be used sparingly, lest normal people like you want to suffer the same fate as those resistance soldiers in Inazuma did

He knew your father, Cholde had the utmost respect for him, but he would have never thought that the man would gift his own child a delusion, knowing all that he knew about it

He wanted to rip that thing out of your hands, throw it away and tell you to never even think about using something as dangerous as this

Then again, he would only come across as a hypocrite, seeing as he himself was using one, and rather openly and often at that

So that option was out the door right from the start

Instead, he tried to have an open talk with you where he explained everything about delusions to you, hoping that ot would set your mind in the right direction

In the end, the decision is up to you on wether or not you want to use it

But if you do decide on using it, Childe's only demand would be that he would be the one to teach you how to safely use it, so you wouldn't risk too much

[adrikazu]

Can I ask a request of Diluc, Xiao, Childe, or Kazuha having an S/o who is like Kanao from demon slayer

DILUC, XIAO, CHILDE, KAZUHA W/ S/O SIMILAR TO KANAO

— characters: diluc, xiao, childe, kazuha.

— c/w: mentions of fighting, coin flipping, difficult pasts and fluff :) def not proofread

a/n: this definitely took a while and i apologize, my return was far past due. hopefully i’ll be more consistent with my writing, here you are though!!

DILUC

— a very gentle relationship

Not a lot going on at first, to be honest.

At the beginning, your quietness and your lack of expression and emotion distresses him a bit after growing interest in you.

But he can’t complain, because he acts in a similar way, except willingly.

You do it as an entire defense mechanism, he does it because he’s distrustful.

For this same reason though, you two learn to have more than a few things in common.

He is caught by surprise when you flip your coin around him. He learns quick why you do this though.

Your difficult pasts, surrounding your family, come to truth and you grow fond and caring of this gentleman.

He’s very kind with you, after learning about you and very very slowly easing you out of his shell. What he was not aware about was how you were doing the same to him.

He’s strong and responsible, and soon when he realizes the difficulties, you two don’t necessarily work through it on purpose,

But overall, having each other definitely helped you, and Diluc.

With your help, he may have been more open to showing his care towards Kaeya and Jean.

With his help, you may have decided on things on your own and grown to express your admiration and care for your loved ones.

In the end, he’s a very serious person, but he makes exceptions for you.

He may not be very expressive either, but it can be obvious when he’s glad to see you express yourself and make decisions on your own.

Diluc views it as progress for your health. He really cares about your well-being.

XIAO

— a very slow beginning

Not a lot going on here at the start either, especially here, with how quiet and reserved he is.

You two are EXTREMELY quiet. The beginning was definitely one of the hardest parts of your relationship.

He wasn’t willing to open up at all, and you just couldn’t start anywhere.

If it wasn’t for his curiosity to your coin, none of this may have happened.

From afar or from close up with very minimal conversation, slowly but surely he got closer to you.

Even though it was a very slow start, it was definitely a start.

Xiao may have found your silence quite a relief for a while. He might’ve been able to slip out a few words about how he felt, and then vanished away.

It certainly took a while before you two were familiar with each other enough where he could talk and he could pull you out of your shell to speak back.

But it happened. It just took many tries, and in the end, Xiao grew comfortable talking to you.

Your slow expressions of care towards him made him feel important, and noticed. He craved it, so his visits became more frequent. Progress with you was faster.

His trust in you grew and yours in his did too. You began talking, and your coin was to thank.

The people in the inn noticed this, and welcomed you whenever you passed around.

He perks up at your visit, and he continues to talk to you with care, and feels relief to see you speak in return.

CHILDE

— a golden retriever and a black cat, for sure.

He definitely approached you first.

Most likely impressed with the way you fought, and approached you in hopes of starting a conversation and perhaps a practice match.

But when you flipped your coin on heads, and you turned him away and only say goodbye, he was left confused. But also curious.

He kept pestering you, and you kept flipping your coin or leaving without a word because of your schedule.

But one day your coin landed on heads, and you owed him a fight.

He won, but it was a solid practice match. Childe grew intrigued with you and invited you to walk. Your coin landed on heads.

From here on he kept with you, on one sided conversation. But sometimes, Childe would talk to you about how he felt.

Your silence was just comforting—It felt like you were listening, and caring about what he had to say. Even though you just couldn’t really talk, and stared at him while he did.

But his constant fights and injuries did do a number on you. Your concern grew, and surely, your expressions did too.

This left him surprised, but excited. To him, he had found your weakness.

From here on out, he came to you with crazy injuries in hopes you’d talk to him. With this routine, his plan worked.

But after you did, it just grew on him. He wanted to talk to you, he wanted to hear you. Childe grew fond of you.

To practice matches to conversations, he just wanted to be around you and you started to trust him and express more. Your ability to hold your own impressed him.

KAZUHA

— mending your expression

Another one who doesn’t talk much.

Your relationship started off interesting. His small tunes and poems, and his alcohol definitely caught you off guard a little.

He was interested in your form of decision making, your coin flipping.

Kazuha would ask you questions, met with no reply. But he didn’t give up.

Necessarily his talking, drew you in to listen, without much to say of course.

Kazuha shared with you his methods of expression; through his writing and the wind. You grew to express through these at first.

Whenever your coin decided to write with him or listen to the wind, you felt a little closer to him.

Kazuha revealed bit by bit his past, with words or through other means, which led you to do the same.

Sharing these important things also led to trust. Kazuha had earned your trust, and through it, also the practice of your expressions.

Slowly, after the methods you expressed your care for him. Your difficult past was revealed as well, and so we’re your skills.

Your practice with the blade impressed him, and he only grew more and more fond of you.

Soon your relationship with him was one of comfort, and short words. He as a person didn’t talk much, focusing on the wind and the quiet stillness of Inazuma.

You weren’t any different in the beginning. Your silence at first, was something he was fond of. You did not interrupt, you did not make a single peep at the stillness of the area.

Kazuha learned fast though that this silence was not what it seemed. But your relationship had slowly snatched you from your shell without even realizing it.

[ford-ye-fiji]

Okay. So essentially.

There are several options.

First, Kaeya refers to Dainslief pointedly as a pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn, because of his ‘eyes’

He says this as almost if he is not pure blooded. Unfortunately, that doesn’t confirm or deny. Their eyes are patterned the same, however, so I’m thinking, if Kaeya isn’t solely Khaenri'ahn, maybe that has something to do with the color.

Kaeya's are a dark purple-blue whereas Dainsleif's are more of a lighter teal-blue. Chlothar's appear to be also a lighter blue.

Either way, this isn’t very conclusive. Kaeya could or could not be a pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn. Well except there’s one singular problem. All pure-blooded Khaenri'ahns are cursed with immortality. And as we’ve learned, all non-pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn's were turned into hilichurls. So either Kaeya IS pure-blooded. Or, something very strange is going on with him.

We'll table that for later.

First, we know that Kaeya is definitely a descendent of the Alberich clan- more specifically he says of Chlothar, the founder the Abyss Order.

Second, when Chlothar tells you Caribert's identity, he calls him, specifically, his illegitimate son. As if he might have another one floating around somewhere.

Might he has another pure-blooded son out there? Could he be Kaeya’s ancestor? Maybe. That would also make Kaeya pure blooded, thus immortal, thus solving our problem. That’s one option.

Let's keep going. Another important piece of data is that Caribert's mother is from Mondstadt.

This is only significant because, out of all seven nations to pick from, Kaeya's father also dropped him off in Mondstadt. It could just be a coincidence but, still. It might not be.

Anyway, moving on. I have no theories about what was under Caribert's mask that made him lose it and I truly have no idea why the Sinner's/the abyss's dark energy surrounded him. Either way, however, his fate remains unknown.

Except for this

This seems to indicate that The Loom of Fate is not a thing or a person but some sort of concept/state of being. Either way Caribert is, for all intents and purposes, not here anymore.

The reason I say not here instead of dead is because we have no proof of death. We know Chlothar is dead, but not Caribert.

Where does all this leave us?

Well, the first option is the simplest one. Kaeya is the descendant of Chlothar's legitimate child so he is a pure blooded Khaenri'ahn, hence why he is not a hilichurl.

The second option is that he could be a descendant of Caribert himself. As we know, somehow, Chlothar managed to cure his curse of immortality. Maybe that was through whatever happened with Caribert and the Loom of Fate. Maybe Caribert was able to cure himself. Maybe Kaeya is his descendant and thus a non-pure-blooded Khaenri'ahn who is also not a hilichurl.

The third option is that Kaeya is Caribert himself. It makes sense why he was dropped off in Mondstadt. It’s the home of his father's love. Now, the major problem with this one is that it doesn’t fit with what we currently know about the timeline. This occurred hundreds of years ago and Kaeya clearly had a childhood with the Ragnvindrs. I’m not ruling out this option though because Genshin always surprises me.

Either way, “You are our last hope” feels very significant here. Perhaps it has to do with the Loom of Fate and why Kaeya is seemingly unaffected by the curse.

[seelestia]

A Blessed Imperfection [1/3]

(submitted by: @/hermosacolibri. all credits go to them, this work isn't mine!)

SYNOPSIS: Many consider your disability as a burden, but he finds a way to make it a blessing in disguise. What makes us flawed is what makes us unique, and that is what he considers the most beautiful thing about you—an imperfection he dearly adores. Nevertheless, he knows of your lingering sorrows and thus seeks a way to support you in the best way he could.

WARNING(S): symptoms of chronic/terminal illness, implications of mental instability, mentions of past trauma resulting to severe injury, possible triggers, panic attacks, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, etc…

CHARACTER(S):

Aether (as Traveler & Abyss Prince), Albedo, Diluc, Kaeya, Venti, Dainsleif

NOTE: I copy-pasted this from my Quotev so if the format turns bad, that’s why lmao. Part 2 will have the Zhongli and Ayato version I submitted with some other characters from the same nations. Part 3 will be Sumeru boys and Harbingers. I will submit them at a later date lol. Anyway, I would like to leave a shameless promo here for those interested in my writing. HERE is my Quotev. For those who wish to read about my collab story here on Tumblr, it is posted by my co-writer: @intothegenshinworld

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AETHER is like a star in the abyssal sky, constantly in sight yet far out of mortal reach. He carries the wishes of others, granting them in acts of what shall be seen as miracles or blessings. When time arrives for departure, he shoots across the cosmos with a trail of light that leaves witnesses mesmerized. Alas, he whom was born half of a whole, the name of this Traveler is forever bound to that of another—his dear sister, Lumine. Due to these same ties, he undergoes a quest across Teyvat to find her. The promise of a reunion always uttered by his lips, hopeful and eager yet never taking for granted the steps he took.

The lonely young man is at odds with the world. He could barely trust anyone after some god caused him to separate from his younger sibling. However, this humble Viator continues to treat others amiably in hopes to be treated the same way. From nation to nation, the blond adolescent sought answers from this peculiar world that felt so nostalgic yet still so foreign to him. There are trying moments of grief and frustration, but also blissful days of celebration.

Throughout this path, it was entirely unexpected for him to develop an intimate attachment.

Aether was not a stranger to bittersweet partings, as someone whom has always hopped from one world to another. For this same reason, he and Lumine try not to get too invested in any realm they visit. It was better for them as well as for everyone else that welcome them so affectionately. There must always be a particular distance to maintain, since there can be no guarantee of their stay or return. A deeper tragedy is the knowledge they can easily outlive the dwellers of any world. Witnessing the birth and death of many stars since their youth, the twins have grown rather desensitized to friendships that would not last as long as their lifespan.

That is why this separation hits them where it hurts enough to leave a scar.

Then, there was you.

As a mere mortal in a world governed by gods, you are content to live your life the best way you know. It is a lifestyle that can change at your will. One day, you can be exploring as an adventurer. The next, you are a seamstress earning your keep for the week you plan to stay with the spinsters. Every other month, you do a variety of odd jobs that you have learned throughout your lifetime. As a human, you are most hyperaware that everything can be ephemeral…

…and someday, even your soul shall be relinquished to the judgment of Celestia.

Until then, it is yours to do as you see fit.

For this reason, you felt torn by the Pyro Vision that had been bestowed upon you. While most of your peers seek the blessing of the divine gaze, you have subconsciously sought to avoid it. Many saw it as a gift but you were raised under the notion that most presents come with strings. Earning the “eye of god” meant that you are under Celestia’s watchful gaze, thus binding you to the Heavenly Principles. Their elemental blessings taunt mortals to dare reaching for the stars, and gain a place amongst the divine if they are deemed worthy of it.

Well, you personally believe that only thineself can determine one’s worth—no other, not even the gods.

Nevertheless, you move forward. Keep going on a quest without a destination, as you always do, until this fleeting life comes to its inevitable end.

Needless to say, there is one thing you genuinely did not see coming—

“I am so sorry, Miss!”

—and that was meeting your soulmate.

“It’s fine.” You replied.

Aether scrambles to collect your things while you do the same at a more relaxed pace. Your satchel had become so worn that it took a small bump to finally snap the strap. Now, all your possessions have been scattered across the ground. Fortunately, the blond stranger is a very kind and considerate young man.

Once you got everything, said stranger wasted no time apologizing profusely again.

“I should have been looking where I was walking! It was my fault.”

You tilt your head, “You could just make it up to me and we can call it even.”

His aureate eyes beamed as he nodded with an eager smile. At that moment, you wonder if he is the personification of the sun.

You smiled serenely, “I’m [Name].”

He pauses, a flicker of doubt passing through his gaze. Quick as it came, it disappeared as he smiled back—a tad softer.

“Just call me Aether.”

That day, he bought you a new satchel.

When you were younger, your parents always said that one moment is the same as a thousand—you only need one. It was a proverb that both confused and unnerved you. After they died together due to sickness, the words were haunting as you buried them before leaving your village. Every moment was cherished by you, each one unique in the best and worst of ways. However, as both you and Aether keep crossing each other’s paths after one meeting, a part of you finally thrums to life in understanding.

At one point, Aether even sought you out for a joint commission together.

“Don’t you have a travelling partner?” You asked.

He laughs sheepishly, “He’s a bit busy doing other things. Also…”

A light blush colored his cheeks, looking away as he scratched his nape lightly.

“…I wanted to spend some time with you.”

You found him cute so you agreed.

On that particular day, Aether learned something new about you. It was the little things he had been noting every time you met. The way you sometimes slur even though not a drop of alcohol can be traced from your scent, how you try so hard to keep your emotions under a certain level of control, how your eyes randomly droop even when you always look so adequately well-rested, and the pills he saw you sneak into your meals/drinks—you were ill. Perhaps, it was not the traditional ailment that left you weak and bedridden. The scariest symptom has been the occasional hallucinations that distract you, since the more vivid ones tend to set off your Vision. Anything within a meter radius is either set aflame, or rises up in temperature. It is why you always remind him to keep a certain distance whenever you tend to space out. He never prodded because you gave him the same respect of privacy by never prying into his life, even if he saw the incessant curiosity he adored about you. Still, he looks after you because he had to admit he truly grew fond of you.

Then, on your way home, you just abruptly collapsed as if your entire body went boneless.

“[Name]—!!!”

Aether caught you just in time before your head hit the ground. He checks your temperature for a fever, and then searches for some wounds you might have missed. You have a high pain tolerance, which can sometimes be a disadvantage whenever an injury goes unnoticed. There was a time a scratch almost got infected, or even when you nearly bled out because a poison prevented coagulation.

When he saw no signs, the outlander lifts you up in his arms and calls for the nearest doctor.

Thankfully, nothing was amiss and you just needed to rest while adjusting your diet.

Aether witnessed the true horror of your condition when you abruptly woke up half past midnight. He was already passed out on your bedside, sat on the ground and his head resting on his forearms. The chaise lounge would have been practical, but the blond felt the urge to be near you. At some point, he just dozed off.

On the other hand, you jolted awake with a choked gasp and widened eyes of terror. It was not due to any frightening nightmare. This is just how it always goes every time you wake up: frozen stiff, terrified, and barely breathing. Your pupils dilate as your iris moved wildly to make sense of your surroundings, pointedly ignoring the shadows manifesting into something monstrous. The candle on the nightstand was unfortunately almost fully spent, flickering to its last embers of light. With every dance, the shadows seem to get closer and slithering to get their clawed hands on you.

Alas, the candlelight spares you one last hope of salvation amidst this merciless night.

Sunshine golden hair glowed, emitting a silver halo as moonlight peeked from the half-open blinds. As much as you are able, you desperately crane your neck to see your companion. Tears blur your sight but the silhouette is unmistakable to you. His warm breath blew against your fingers, centimeters away from his lips as he breathed. Chilling goosebumps ran across your skin yet you welcomed it, hoping to regain mobility from this nightmarish paralysis. Your hand twitched, wishing to get ahold of this precious little sun—uncaring if it burns.

If you are to be like Icarus, then you would prefer an end embraced by warmth and light…

…instead of ice and darkness.

Perhaps, pyro suited you for this reason.

Your lips purse, crying in anguish to speak.

“A…Ae…A-Aether…”

To your relief, that seems to be enough to awaken the young man. However, respite is all to brief as your chest seizes up. The mere act of breathing gets difficult, and your heartbeat grew alarmingly slow as it echoed alongside the tinnitus in your ears.

Aether blinks awake, expecting the grace of morning light. Instead, he was met with your agonized gaze in a darkening room. In an instant, he snaps into full attention as he cups your face. You cannot hear him but you can guess that he must be firing questions out of concern.

“[Name], what’s wrong?! Are you in pain? What can I do? How can I help?” He exclaimed.

You gasped and hoarsely coughed.

“C-Can’t…breathe…I…”

The blond quickly thinks back to whenever Lumine experienced minor panic attacks. He assumes this is relatively similar, so he hopes his next actions will help rather than harm. Gently and carefully, he takes you into his arms. Back against the headboard, the new position situates you comfortably on his lap as one arm is secured around your waist. He takes both of your trembling hands with his free one, directing them to rest against his sternum.

“[Name],” he says softly yet firmly, “I need you to focus on me, okay? Focus for me. Hey—”

He catches your frantic gaze around the room and mindfully tilts your head back to meet his stare. They are brimming with steadfast reassurance, not at all deterred by the dark beasts. Your head rests against his shoulder, as you do as he told—closing your eyes to only relish his warmth, consume his scent, and listen to his voice.

“Breathe with me. Inhale, exhale…”

His chest rises and falls, to which you mimic the rhythm in return.

“Feel my pulse, and use it as your center.”

One hand keeps hold of his and the other seeks his heart, obeying the instructions.

The hand connected to the arm securing your back drift to your hair. At that moment, you realize that Aether’s hands are ungloved. Wandering fingers comb through your strands, calming you down with a soothing pet. Little by little, you regain movement in your limbs yet you rest limply—content.

“That’s it.” Aether whispered, “You’re doing great. Just keep repeating the exercise with me.”

“Aether…”

“I’m here. I’ll always be here.”

You wept and sobbed, “Aether…”

“I know.” He murmurs as he cries with you, “You’ve been so strong, [Name]. Everything’s fine. You’re not alone anymore.”

You look up, “Promise?”

He looks back, “I promise.”

The hand on his chest reaches for his white scarf as you pull him down. He obliges as his grip on you tightened, holding you close while your free hands adjust to interlace with each other.

That was the first kiss of many.

Day or night, Aether stood by you. Every battle was fought together. Every quest was finished together, sometimes with his elusive partner named Dainsleif whom was later introduced to you. On the journey to search for his sister, he even renewed his vows.

“When we find her, you can come with us.”

You smile teasingly, “I don’t have world-hopping powers.”

He narrows his eyes at you, unyieldingly headstrong and determined.

“I’ll find a way to bring you with us anyway.”

He raises your hand to his lips with a sly grin.

“You’re not getting rid of me~!”

Aether cradled you in adoration as if you were an endless summer amidst the cold loneliness of his sister’s absence. You beheld him as if he was the sun bringing life to the paradise of your evanescent mortality. The pair of you were thriving happily, hand in hand, even after discovering the truth of this world—and dictating the journey’s end.

Then, your Vision broke mysteriously, and you were condemned to an enchanted sleep.

Aether cursed the divine and all of Teyvat for it. He figured this was his price for learning the truth, but taking you will be their gravest mistake. He severes his ties with Dainsleif, whom tried to console him into taking the righteous path. He viewed you as his friend as well, and he knew you would not want this for your lover.

Now, the Abyss Prince sits by your bed—waiting in forlorn hope. His ungloved knuckles caress your cheek lovingly. You were dressed in a nightgown with abyss colors, outlined by satin ribbons of silver and gold. A crown of inteyvat rested on your head, petals scattered across your spread locks draped over silk pillows. They have grown after the past centuries but he dutifully trims them to an acceptable length.

“Your Highness,” the Abyss Herald called, “it is time.”

Aether paused. His honey gaze hardens and his aura turns cold. He breathes deeply, eyes closed to lean down and leave a chaste kiss on your brow.

“I will return shortly, my love.”

He puts on his gloves, taking leave resolutely.

Even if the sun turns black, you will both find your way back to each other. Even as the moon is painted red, goodbye shall never be an option. Every star in the sky—false or otherwise—shall bear witness to a union that even the Heavenly Principles would dare not destroy. Should this world be torn asunder, the reckoning cannot spell departure for either you or Aether. This is the eclipse that will pave the way to a new world, as the Abyss Order entails.

For if fate can only be accepted, thy vows shath be sworn by royal decree—

“You are my predestined person, the one I will always choose.”

ALBEDO discovered that there is beauty in what the heart perceives which the eyes cannot see. As an artist, he can grasp onto the concept yet is unable to truly understand it since he heavily relies upon his sight. As an alchemist, whatever eludes him may come into being by his own hands and thus enable him to attain it. The pursuit of truth is a mere matter of time and place, preordained even if hidden. As the most prized creation of Rhinedottir, he was given the task of uncovering the truth of this world for himself as a purpose in life. Even if to exist is a sin in the eyes of Celestia, he must endure and keep moving forward to reach his answers.

Amidst such dedicated research, there was little time and effort to be spared for attachments. The Chief Alchemist of Ordo Favonius finds it much too difficult to maintain. Of course, exceptions has been made throughout the years. Aside from his master, he had bonded with Alice and Klee as family. He had also made friendships with his colleagues amongst the Knights of Favonius and his subordinates, whom he taught the art of alchemy. Alas, as an artificial human created by a sinner, he feels as if he can never belong anywhere. Regardless of these bonds, the Kreideprinz feels as if a part of his heart remains hollow. 

It came to him that this place was reserved for you, the apple of his eye.

Ever since Albedo met you, a new muse began to live within his heart. People consider it as seeing the world through rosy lenses; but for him, it felt as if everything appeared clearer than facts…

…and it was beautiful.

The sun shines brighter. The wind blows cooler. The grass looks greener. Therefore, life is that much greater and sweeter. He is still in pursuit of truth, yet he felt as if the magnum opus was already in his hands—molded in the shape of you.

His only lament was that you could not see it alongside him.

You were not born blind. It happened from an act of jealousy and unkindness. Before you came to the City of Freedom, you were a noblewoman dwelling in Fontaine and worked as an artist. Much like him, you love to paint and draw but Albedo always argues that you were better at it. He had seen your works long ago, and every single piece has never failed to inspire him. It was as if each painting can bequeath aspirations, letting it blossom from the hearts of the people that view it.

Then, news spread that your entire atelier was set on fire while you were still in it…

…and then, you lost your eyes.

The Hydro Vision in your hand may have been the sole reason you even survived. Many speculated that you can never make art the same way again.

You came to Mondstadt, wishing to break free from the suffocating experience. You struggled to regain your passion, overcome your sorrows.

Then, you met Albedo; and one thing led to another.

It started when you were taking a stroll in Springvale with your guide dog, Vincent. He is a very spirited Golden Retriever, protective and responsible. You both stumble upon a young girl named Klee, whom was busy fighting a bunch of hilichurls. You opted to stand aside and calm your snarling canine friend, petting his head. When your keen hearing detected irregular breathing and racing heartbeat, you realize that the little girl was getting overwhelmed. She must have fought other hoards before your arrival, and now you hear slimes joining the fray. Thus, you order Vincent to keep his distance and engaged.

Sword unsheathed from your walking cane, you attack the ones behind Klee. Her bombs startled you when they exploded too close, but your hydro shield easily deflected any friendly fire. Vapor damage is then redirected to the monsters, tempering the girl’s mines and lasers so your skin will not be singed by the building heat. Vincent was barking wildly like a supportive cheerleader, growling whenever you get nicked or whenever the other girl yelped.

Soon, the fight was over.

The pitter-patters of tiny feet went towards you, and stopped at an arm’s length. You look down, smiling kindly yet not sheathing your blade.

“Thank you for helping Klee!” She chirped.

You chuckle, “You’re welcome.”

Vincent came running towards you, shamelessly  nuzzling your legs. He then licks Klee’s hand in his own way of befriending her, causing the girl to giggle from the ticklish sensation. She hugs him around the neck, and you can only tilt your head in amusement.

“What’s your name, Miss?”

“You may call me [Name].”

The hairs at your nape rose. Although you can see nothing else but darkness, your eyes also snapped open with a dark glower. By instinct, you swung your sword to strike whomever snuck behind you.

A resounding clang echoed in your ears, as metal struck against metal. Another sword has parried yours skillfully yet makes no move to counter.

“Brother Albedo…!” Klee exclaims.

Upon realization that this is no stranger, you swiftly disengaged with a soft apology. The gesture was returned as the man apologized for startling you. To your amazement, Vincent did not seem to be wary of this newcomer. The dog merely barked gruffly, a bit admonishing, instead of growling defensively like he always did.

“You dropped this.” Albedo said.

You hesitantly presented your hand to receive whatever he was giving. A familiar cloth is placed on your palm. You belatedly realized that it was your blindfold. It is a durable silk fabric that kept your burn scars from showing. Your disfigured face has been exposed all this time for Klee to see.

It must have been a horrifying sight—

“Your eyes are very pretty, Miss [Name]!”

Your breath hitched at the unexpected compliment, turning away shyly. As you wore the blindfold again, Klee notices Albedo smiling in awe at you. She put up her hands to cover her mouth and muffle her mischievous giggles.

“I agree.” He murmured.

You nodded, “Many thanks.”

Albedo never told you, but for him, it was love at first sight the moment his eyes met yours. There have been solitary days spent in Dragonspine where he wondered tirelessly:

Would it have been a mutual feeling if you could have seen him back then too?

From then onwards, the mysterious alchemist had turned into a close friend. He acted as a personal pillar of support in unexpected ways. The little ball of sunshine that is Klee turned into a source of lighthearted joy for you as well. They tend to visit your home in the city together, offering gifts and knick-knacks. The habitual meetings resulted into some new friends who helped you settle down in Mondstadt, especially Eula. Her own aristocratic lineage helped you two bond about a lot of things, even when she vehemently rejects hers—which is frankly for understandable reasons. You both share the sentiment that genuine nobility upholds the belief of noblesse oblige above all.

Albedo, most of all, enabled you to regain the love you thought had been lost forever with your sight.

Although life still hit hard with how you struggle to create art, your appreciation for it was reborn and you are experiencing everything all over again as something new. Regardless of the burns and scars that made you insecure, the Kreideprinz made you feel nothing less than desirable and deserving of love. Though the blankness of your gaze saddens him, and sometimes even angers him due to the injustice you were dealt—he saw beauty in all that is you, and everything that blossoms from your hands.

Just for a moment, he wanted to show you what he sees the only way he knew: to create.

Vincent guided you into Albedo’s personal art studio in Mondstadt. The canine looked more excited than you. He nipped at the alchemist's white coat, tail wagging as he sat by your feet but paid attention to your lover. Charming eyes swept between you two as if awaiting praise and treats for a job well done.

For a moment, Albedo was reminded of Klee and it made him smile. He kneels down before the dog, patting his head. After a few minutes of petting, he relinquishes the promised treat.

Vincent then ran to his corner, satisfied. Usually, he is very protective and ends up hovering next to you; but with Albedo, he knows you are safe.

You giggled amusedly.

“Sometimes,” your lover sighed, “I think he only likes me to get treats and headpats. He also only comes to me by whining to play.”

You smirked teasingly, “Sounds familiar.”

Albedo paused before giving you a scolding look, yet the twitching smile betrayed him. He was then taken aback when you presented him a small gift bag and a bouquet of cecilia flowers.

“Happy Anniversary~!” You said.

He smiles, accepting your gifts to greet you back.

“Happy Anniversary, [Name].”

Per usual greeting, Albedo takes your hands in his to let them settle. Then, you let go to just feel as they glide across his skin. He closes his eyes to relish your caresses, nuzzling when you reach his face and touched his cheeks. From there, you felt his smile and it spurned yours.

However, as the alchemist opened his eyes, he had witnessed the spark of sadness in yours.

On your first anniversary together, Albedo crafted a special gift. A wooden easel held a blank canvas, or so it seems. If not for the colorful palette and wet brushes, nobody would spare it any glance or even thought. He guides you in front of him, encasing you in his arms and pressing his chest to your back. His lips whispered instructions almost seductively, soft and sensual as he lifted your hands to move them forward.

“Go ahead.” He implored your touch.

Fingertips make contact with what seems to be a canvas, but with bumps on it that definitely felt like braille. Your brows furrowed in confusion, unable to interpret it as anything. You can decipher some sort of pattern, but nothing in the braille alphabet comes to mind that makes sense.

“Don’t think in words, love.” Albedo advised, “Imagine it as you would paint a landscape.”

He is familiar with your art technique. After all, he has always been a fan since he first purchased your work at an auction. His keen observation noticed that the colors bloom from the center. Then, multiple layers come to refine the structure and control the shades. Once the painting is complete, the basic foundations are harder to notice but details never escape Albedo. To him, it felt like he was seeing two images in a single painting: one perceived by sight, and another perceived by heart—dual masterpieces for the price of one.

You follow his words and thus you begin to deduce a work of something.

The braille patterns made you think of Mondstadt’s flower meadows, petals of cecilia and seedheads of dandelions fluttering in the breeze. An orb that seems to be the sun is raised eastward with what appeared to be outlines of birds, aflight in the cloudy horizon. There are faint marks connoting mountains in the distance, and flowing swirls that felt like wave patterns along the coast. To further understand his message, you sought the center much like how you used to paint.

Albedo detects your newfound focus, aware that an image has been imprinted upon your mind.

“[Name],” he murmured tenderly, “I need you to keep your hands on the canvas. I will guide you in this next step. Do you trust me?”

You smiled meaningfully, “Always.”

A loving caress upon your skin is accompanied by a chaste kiss on your crown.

“I cannot give you the world—”

Then, the brailles moved.

“—but I can leave a piece of it in your hands.”

You quickly realize that the brailles were not made of ordinary material. Days and nights of listening to your lover’s random alchemy ramblings allowed you to learn a thing or two. This braille painting has been constructed with special elemental crystals. From the feel of it, they respond strongly to elemental energy—particularly yours and Albedo’s combined, both currently being channeled. Depending on the crystal, it can resonate with other elements.

Beneath your hands, the patterns moved in looping motion to signify that it was animated. Furthermore, the energy that resonated from every shard is almost alive. Anemo can be felt from the swaying of the dandelions, and dendro amplified the scent of the scattered cecilia across the grassland. Even the painted sun emits a comforting warmth due to hints of pyro, as if bathing the scenery with its light. The waves along the shoreline felt moist due to hydro, which resonated strongly with you—and for a short second, you actually miss Fontaine. The mountains are the familiar cold of cryo, which then registered for you that it was likely a reference of Dragonspine.

Just from this, your mind’s eyes can almost envision the outline of a city—one founded by Barbatos.

In Albedo’s eyes, the special formula for the paint which Sucrose helped him concoct had finally revealed itself. To outsiders, the canvas is nothing more but a lumpy surface. In truth, the blind will see its true form; and when given life via elemental energy, the rest will be unveiled. To you whom once knew the colors of the world, the simple animations of the image form a kaleidoscope that provides you melancholic nostalgia. By your fingertips, it certainly felt as if Albedo had given you a piece of the world that only you can see.

For this one moment, he and you can perceive the same world.

Tears gathered in your eyes yet a heartfelt smile radiantly shone upon your face. A sob of genuine happiness wracked your throat. As your knees begin to weaken, you leaned on the man that helped you see again—

—even if only a few seconds.

Albedo also smiled in relief, fully embracing you around the shoulders in support. He let you take in the moment while he basked under the blessing of your presence.

“If there is anything else you wish to see again,” he solemnly swore, “I will be your eyes and shall piously present its sights to you.”

At his oath, you abruptly let go of the painting and turned. Cupping his face in your hands, your lips eagerly meet his. Albedo returns your passionate amor with fervor, ever delighted to please you. He wishes to someday discover the truth of this world, as his master bade him to do. His one desire is that you would be there beside him when he does.

Even if destruction came by his hand, he already knows one truth by heart—

“The beauty of this world forever pales in comparison to you.”

DILUC RAGNVINDR is an uncrowned king raised as a noble gentleman of chivalry and gallantry. From the fiery red of his hair to his stern crimson glare, he upholds his aristocratic lineage with dignity. The cumbersome title of lord dictates the gravity of his obligations to Mondstadt. Whether as a nocturnal vigilante or as master of Dawn Winery, those who dare to threaten his home will face the wrath of his flames. Sinners who refuse penance shall have their blood paint the mighty blade of his claymore, as a furious firebird sends the wicked to retribution.

As a man coveted by many, he keeps his circle small and tightly knit. An outsider’s only chance to ever earn his favor is to either make themselves useful to Mondstadt, or by earning the approval of his more compassionate wife.

That woman is none other than you.

Diluc met you as a playmate in his childhood. His father, Master Crepus, was both a close friend and trusted business partner of your parents. Like the Ragnvindrs, your family specializes in the wine industry—specifically the medicinal values that are incorporated in liquor. Although your own father is from Mondstadt, he settled down in Liyue upon marrying your mother. Secretly, you and Diluc were arranged to be married. Everything worked out well since you both actually liked each other a lot. He was a very protective yet supportive friend, while you were a tactful and encouraging listener. When Kaeya had joined the family, the three of you became quite the inseparable trio.

Then, Crepus Ragnvindr died.

Everything happened so fast. Before you knew it, your fiancé chose to disappear and left only a single note for you as goodbye. It was not even a proper farewell, at least not the kind he made sure to give you every time. Even if there was little to no sincere romance in your engagement, you both respected each other as equals. However, his final note had completely staggered you.

“Don’t wait for me.” It said.

Such a heavy message in merely four words…

You understand what he means by it. He has made a decision wherein he would prefer to not involve you, and thus opting to let you go. The contract regarding the engagement was never too binding. Crepus had assured that either of you can break it off if you both reach such a consensus. However, the former head of the Ragnvindr Clan did not just choose any girl to be paired with his son. He specifically took interest in you because he always knew—if any woman can ever match his son and heir in terms of headstrong stubbornness, it can only be you.

With the patience of a saint, you graciously accepted Diluc’s decision. However, it did not mean you would back down so easily.

Honestly, you see it as poor manners to just leave things with a note. You have to just wait in the Dawn Winery so you can give him a proper scolding upon his inevitable return. Until then, you were more than willing to manage everything else on his behalf. The servants are ecstatic to find out you meant to stay despite their young master’s wishes. Your parents are also very considerate, only ever wishing for your happiness since then and now.

Under your supervision, Dawn Winery flourished and maintained dignity after the loss of its masters. You hold the cunning and integrity of any businessman worth their salt. Adelinde, Elzer, and the entire staff can attest that you are more strict than even the late Lady Ragnvindr—wife of Master Crepus.

Kaeya never confided to you whatever caused the fallout between him and his brother. However, he seemed so relieved and touched when you did not treat him differently. If anything, you seem to dote on him even more now—like a real older sister. He thus returns your kind and loving care equally, a bout of protectiveness that rivals your absent fiancé.

Years later, tragedy struck once again.

You were mistaken as the official Lady Ragnvindr by whichever enemies Diluc had made. They aimed to lure him out by means of threatening his supposed wife, taking you hostage. Despite being Visionless, you were far from a pushover. You did not go down without a fight and worked to plan your escape.

In the end, your captors thought you to be more trouble than your worth…

…and so, they aimed to kill you.

It is only due to Kaeya’s timely arrival this instance that you did not follow Crepus.

However, you did not get out of the incident perfectly unscathed. The brutality you suffered had caused a critical and permanent injury on your spine. It is with heavy hearts that the doctors informed you of the grim situation: you can never walk again.

Diluc promptly returned to Mondstadt when Kaeya relayed the news to him via letter. He had been so devastated to realize that you almost died because of him. He wanted to protect you by letting you go, but he underestimated your resolve. In his mind, he knew the only way to truly get you far away from him is to make you hate him. Upon finding courage to visit you, he doubled down on his determination when he left you years ago. You deserve better, and the life he could give you as Lady Ragnvindr will only be a disappointment. You deserve so much better than waking up to a cold, empty bed and waiting on late nights.

He opened the door to your room in his manor, ready to break your heart so you can leave him.

However, his hardened goal fell short.

You sat by the window, as beautiful as the day he last saw you. Even confined to a wheelchair, you remain smiling so warmly. Your enchanting gaze meets his crimson pair, and he melted at the sheer adoration you bestowed upon him. Your cheeks took a rosy glow, and your smile widened—lips moving to utter words of welcoming him back home, yet he cannot hear a thing. His only thoughts revolved on how badly he wanted to kiss you right now.

Diluc missed you so much, and hence he realized that he really is a fool.

How can he ever survive if he truly broke your heart, the most precious thing you entrusted to him?

“Marry me.” He said.

Much to his surprise, you only laughed and accepted—as if you always believed he would return to you.

It was truly laughable how easily you can weaken his resolve with a mere smile.

“It took you long enough, Master Diluc~!”

You winked at him as you laughed. Despite your lighthearted cheer, the redhead can see that the years apart took a toll on you. He crossed the room in graceful strides and he saw you more vividly. The bags under your eyes did little to dull their sparkle; the hollowness of your cheeks worried him but the rosy hue amplified their glamor; and your pallor was a little too pale for his liking, yet the freckles across your nose reassured him that you get enough sun on a daily basis.

Then, he bends down to hold you close and buries his face at the crook of your neck.

Your heart skipped lightly.

Then, you hugged him back—more tightly.

Diluc said nothing as he felt his shoulder get wet, and you did not make a sound as yours trembled.

“Welcome home.” You whispered.

He grits his teeth to fight against the tears.

“I’m home.” He murmurs.

The marriage started a little awkwardly. Three years had been a long time, and you both had changed in ways that put a strain on your dynamic. However, as you both learned to trust each other the way you did as kids, everything else flowed smoothly. You relied on him as he relied on you. Thanks to your endless patience, you managed to help your dear husband in anything that troubled his heart. At times, it is only by your gentle interventions that his overprotective tendencies can be quelled. It had become norm for the people of Mondstadt to see you at a cozy corner of Angel’s Share—beside the bar, whenever your husband took a shift. Any shenanigans are put to a stop by a warning glare that seemed more scathing than any other nights. None of the patrons—drunk or otherwise—dare to start any ruckus as long as you were present in the tavern.

There is nothing that Diluc kept from you anymore, as he claimed no more secrets. Although, he was curious when you steered clear if the topic is Kaeya.

“It’s not just your secret to share.” You reasoned.

The redhead felt his love and respect for you deepen at the claim.

Now, you sat in your husband’s office. While he was busy doing paperwork, you did embroidery on a silk pillow that got torn. However, there was a stifling air in the room that bothered him.

“What is it?” Diluc asked.

You raise a brow, “What do you mean?”

He stared back knowingly, “You have been redoing the same stitch for the past half hour. That only happens when you’re distracted; and you’re only ever distracted when something is troubling you.”

The redhead leans back on his chair, dropping his quill to cross his arms.

“So,” he continued, “what is it?”

You blushed at the fact you were caught so easily, but also flattered by how he is so attentive to you.

Diluc is then worried by your prolonged hesitance, gradually standing up from his chair. He walks up to you leisurely, kneeling by your side. His gloved hands take yours, mindful of your needlework as he placed it on the table. His vibrant eyes implore you to share your burdens, waiting and encouraging.

“I lied to you.”

He frowns at your blunt confession but said nothing, tilting his head to let you continue.

“On our wedding,” you reminisced, “you asked me what I wanted most so you could provide it. I replied that there was nothing more I could ever want since you asked me to marry you for real.”

Your right hand carefully broke free from his, rising to tuck his fringe away. Your palm rests on his cheek and your husband savored it with fondness. He then recalls being ready to arrange a grandiose wedding that day, remembering how much you rambled about being like a princess in your shared childhood. As a young boy, it used to grate on his nerves; but as your fiancé, Diluc found it necessary to pay attention.

Back then, he did not question it when you asked for a simpler celebration. After all, a lot has changed between him and you—for better and for worse.

“However,” you murmured, “there was one thing I had truly wished to experience with you.”

Your eyes stray away from his, drifting towards the unfinished embroidery pillow. His own eyes follow, and he immediately understands. The picture’s basic design depicts a pair of lovers dancing under the moonlit night. A gazebo frames their silhouettes while lampgrass grew around its base structure.

A wedding dance.

Diluc looks back up to you, smiling in exasperated affection. He then leans forward, taking you into his arms as he stood up. A mild squeak escapes your lips as your own arms clung to his neck, caught off guard by his sudden movement. Your husband steps out of the room while carrying you, yet offers no explanation whatsoever. Although you felt confused, it did not stop you from relaxing in his embrace and just leaning against him.

The redhead took you to the main foyer, and headed straight towards a small library corner. He dismisses the maid stationed to clean it, leaving you both in privacy. First, you were placed on the recliner near the fireplace. Then, he walked towards the old yet pristine gramophone. It belonged to his mother, he vaguely remembers. His father told him that she always loved to collect vinyls, a bittersweet sheen of unconditional love shining in his eyes.

The young lord wonders if the two of you would also remain as in love when you get older together.

“Diluc, what is this all about—”

You trailed off as waltz music began to play.

“When my wife wishes to dance,” he says, “what kind of husband am I to refuse?”

A suave smirk on his handsome face leaves you so utterly breathless. Your heart races, bursting with an unspeakable joy to call this man yours. Captivated by the sight of him, you can only watch as he strides back to you—charming as a prince straight out of a fairy tale book. His gloved hand is presented with a chivalrous bow, his rare theatric side being shown only for you—always only for you.

“May I have this dance, Milady?” He asks.

You gape speechlessly for a minute. A part of you was reluctant. How can you possibly dance in this circumstance? Nonetheless, you trust Diluc more than anything so you accepted.

“You may.”

Diluc gives a dazzling smile at your faith in him, and gently pulls you up. He expertly places your feet on his shoes, carrying your weight as you swayed. One of your hands is on his shoulder while one of his arms is wrapped firmly around your waist, holding you close. Your respective free hands are entwined, inseparable and perfectly at ease.

The marital couple moved fluidly and gracefully. You entrusted your body completely, to be moved in this dance he led confidently. Your patience and trust are returned by his warmth and protection, cradling you in a chrysalis that hopes to let you flourish. He even dares to help you twirl, making the skirt of your dress flutter like the petals of a wild rose in bloom.

The dreamlike sequence ends as he dips you into an intimate position. Heartbeats skip in sync, never of fear but of exhilaration.

Your hands leave his, believing he would never let you fall even if you let go. His grip transferred to your back and your nape, eager to be your support. You caress his face and pull him down for a searingly passionate kiss. He indulges you wholly, taking all that you have willingly given him. Your fingers shook as they entangle with his red mane. With the ease of a man who wields a claymore, he lifts you up. Your arms held tight around his neck, tilting into a new angle to not break the kiss. The fervor is returned a hundred fold, as if Diluc wishes nothing more than to fuse his soul with yours.

You are the one who empowers his flames, igniting his heart as your chosen Ifrit.

He made a vow at the altar, and not even death can do you part anymore—

“The privilege to call you mine is an honor I cannot surrender to fate.”

KAEYA ALBERICH is someone painfully aware of the power in words, and uses it to his advantage. He is as mysterious as he is efficient at being the Cavalry Captain of Ordo Favonius. The charisma he exudes can be as menacing as the frigid coldness of his Cryo Vision. The swiftness of his blade can be more merciful than the secrets he ruthlessly exploits. As much as he is admired by his peers, everyone can unanimously agree that his enigmatic ways leave them a little wary to trust him entirely. Nevertheless, the cunning of a flightless bird is just as deadly as the venom of a pit viper. A reluctance to comply is merely a sign to delve deeper.

In the carefree city of Mondstadt, only one has squared up to his level and defeated him—

—in every sense of the word.

You are the dainty little assistant of Lisa Minci, the resident librarian of Mondstadt. She slyly evades all attempts of divulging how and from where she met you. It is rumored she just found you sewing some of her worn books one day, and then decided that she has to have you as her assistant. The only other thing known about your relationship with her is that she can be extremely protective to the point of territorial. Similarly, nobody can fully understand the eccentricities demonstrated by the Witch of Purple Rose as much as you do. Since your employment, a peaceful synergy can be observed in the workings of the library and even the Knights of Favonius HQ.

The most notable thing about you is how you never limit your goodwill to work. Anyone you can reach is always on the receiving end of compassion. As such examples, Lisa has proudly introduced you to many of her prestigious friends. Since then, it had become a norm for them to see you.

Jean always ends up a little more relaxed with the cups of coffee you brew for her. You serve her tea as a silent insistence when it was time to rest. Albedo and Sucrose now have a habit of asking your referral in finding the best locations for any ingredients they would need. At random times, you appear around the corner to help Noelle in the most menial tasks and labors. Whenever Amber returns from her daily outriding, she would find you welcoming her by the gates with some food and water. Lastly, even Eula has begun picking you up to join her for lunch on weekends. You are the only civilian that never treats her differently, and actually seems to like her very much as a friend.

In a bout of poetic irony, the only one that seems to rarely receive your kindness was Kaeya.

Of course, you were far from unkind or cruel. You still greet him amicably every time you cross paths in the hallways or city streets. However, his shrewd gaze can detect your hesitance to interact with him for prolonged periods of time. Politely asking you about it did him no good as well. You only stared at him skeptically before shrugging, as if he should know the answer. A part of him questioned why it even bothered him so much, but perhaps it was a matter of ego. He knows himself well enough to be aware that it could be the reason he kept persisting on gaining your favor.

When Kaeya decided to tell Lisa about his situation, she had the gall to laugh at him.

“It’s because she sees right through you.”

Kaeya raises a brow, “I beg your pardon?”

Lisa smiles sharply, “My darling [Name] is an astute judge of character. It’s one of the reasons I adore her so much. Like you, she also knows her way with words. The more you talk while she listens, the more she compares the character she sees in your eyes and the persona that speaks with your lips. If they don’t match up, she will consider you to be too dangerous.”

For a moment, the Cavalry Captain felt his eyes darken defensively. A second later, they return to being detachedly bemused.

The Witch of Purple Rose catches the slip but does not comment about it. In fact, she willingly closes her eyes to let the man have his moment. However, she did continue to speak her piece.

“You’re not a bad guy,” she states, “and she knows that well. However, [Name] is the type who does not like to converse with people that refuse to respect the weight of the words they speak.”

A beaming smile is given by the librarian as she pats her colleague on his shoulder.

“Try speaking a little more honestly! It might earn you some brownie points.” She said.

Kaeya wanted to claim he is not going to bother and that he will just leave it at that. Alas, it seems he had found his match and could not resist your allure. In the end, he nodded before taking his leave.

To Lisa’s credit, her advice worked.

Obviously, Kaeya did not lay everything out in the open; but he became more sincere in his efforts to befriend you. To his pleasant surprise, you may be taciturn and reserved but it did not make you shy at all. If anything, you were quite bold for a pretty little damsel. He playfully flirted with you a few times and you were barely fazed. You even flirted back with teasing glances and fleeting touches that—he was impressed to admit—flustered him in shock. Your dollface can be deceiving as well. He had seen you pettily tattle to Lisa about patrons that give you a hard time. In turn, the mage trusts you to be the one to remind her of anyone who is late on their book returns. Thus, he watched you just peacefully sip tea while your employer terrorized the poor souls that earned her wrath with an innocent smile.

You rewarded the Cavalry Captain’s honest efforts by opening up to him a little.

It is here that Kaeya learned you were mute.

The cause was a very unfortunate birth defect when you were born prematurely. Your vocal chords did not grow correctly and almost suffocated you. The doctors were forced to remove it entirely via surgery so you can survive. Growing up, you became quite the bookworm because of this disability. You found solace in the immersion of reading the words you can never speak. It gradually turned you into a very talented scholar worthy of Lisa’s attention. Your nurturing ways with books and your preservation of comfort amidst the silence certainly gained merits.

Of course, your reserved nature did not mean you are to be underestimated.

The Witch of Purple Rose chose you as her personal assistant and sole substitute for a reason. It can be argued that you are potentially more frightening. You are the calm before the storm; and when you strike, no one ever sees it coming. Whenever hooligans think they can just steal books from the restricted section, every single one will be found hogtied and gagged on the Knights of Favonius’ doorsteps. A damsel you may appear but the only distress that can be felt is by the drunkards, who think they can harrass you without direct consequences. In fact, you made it your personal vendetta to discipline every member of Barbara’s fanclub and their stalker tendencies. A failure to comply forces them into public humiliation by wearing nun attires, and then prostrating themselves in front of Barbatos to beg for forgiveness.

Venti had an interesting view when he woke up from his nap on the statue’s hands.

The job of Cavalry Captain became that much more entertaining, and easier too.

Public ordinance is now easy to handle for all the patrolling knights, whom often need to tread lightly just to appease the common folks. Although the Acting Grandmaster would never say it outloud due to her soft nature, she was thankful for this subtle measures you have been making—especially in regards to her sister’s privacy and safety. Even the stoic Master Diluc seems to respect you since he actually makes effort to greet you more than he does any other stranger in the streets. Your drinks in Angel’s Share are discounted too, which is always a plus after a long day of work. Lisa took advantage of this perk just to tease.

As he got to know you, Kaeya finally arrived to a profoundly frightening conclusion.

He was falling in love with you.

No, he may have already fallen the moment you had turned into his newest fixation. The icy captain can recall Lisa’s words—how you judge people based on the character in their eyes, if it matches the persona that speaks. You actually looked at him and saw him with just a single glance; and when his words blurred the truth, his facade was already unraveling before your piercing gaze. You rejected him because he was denying the lost boy you see, and you embraced him when the charismatic captain found felicity in your companionship. You accepted both sides even if you knew nothing about either of them.

However, for all his clever ways in manipulating the feelings of others, Kaeya is powerless at the face of his own emotions.

Hence, the reasonable thing in his perspective is to simply run away from you.

It hurt you but it was something you also understood quite well. As mentioned, you were aware of Kaeya’s true character from the get-go. It was fine if this is really what he wants. You both lived your lives just fine when keeping your respective secrets. That should not change just because romantic feelings are now involved.

Lisa and your friends firmly believed otherwise.

Your doting older sister figure tells you one day that the elusive captain left a message. He says to meet him in Windrise, where Jean had put him on patrol for suspicious activity of the Abyss Order. In a twist of fate nobody expected, they even managed to get Diluc involved to make the information appear to be legitimate. The redhead claims he was getting sick of Kaeya's face brooding over you in Angel’s Share.

All else, as they say, was history when you were both given a chance to confront the truth together.

Now, Kaeya watches over your sleeping form on his bed—tuckered out from today’s work.

You are curled up to his chest, nuzzling his clavicle like a kitten. A delightful shiver ran through his spine every time your warm breaths hit his skin. Your left arm is draped over his waist while your right hand rested over his chest. His own arm cushions your head, bent by the elbow to poise himself up while he ran his fingers through your hair. The other one holds you close by the waist, legs intertwined so no space remains. The moonlight peeks through the curtains, basking you in afterglow that left him mesmerized every night. Leaning down, his lips tenderly kissed your brow as his embrace tightened possessively.

He grins as he felt your fingers move drowsily on his back, crumpling the blouse.

“Why are you watching me sleep?”

You drew special patterns to speak, blinking your eyes open to stare blankly at your lover.

He chuckles, bending down to give you an eskimo kiss while tracing words on your back as well.

“You look too beautiful to be true.”

You hummed in the form of a soft exhale, observing your beloved closely. Your hand leaves his back and reached up to his face, tucking his fringe behind his ear to see both of his eyes. It no longer concerns him to let you see his normally hidden eye, which flickered for a fraction of a second. He disclosed everything long ago. He has nothing else to hide, not from you at least—never again from you.

In fact, the language you were both using to silently communicate is from Khaenri'ah.

Kaeya invented the sign language of it and taught it to you. In public, people think it is just a cute secret between couples; but you knew better. There is a power in words, and Kaeya had entrusted you this in particular—a piece of his true self that only you can keep. Not even Diluc knew this much about him, as their bond of brotherhood shattered before he could make an attempt. Henceforth, you use this sign to talk with him privately and send messages only for your dear captain to decipher.

As you caressed his cheek, Kaeya sighed in perfect bliss. He leans towards your touch, turning his head to press a loving kiss on your palm. His own hand reached up to keep it in place. Delicately, his index finger traces another message on your knuckles.

“You’re not just a sweet dream, are you?”

Your eyes softened in understanding, smiling in hopes to alleviate his insecurities. Your hand directs his to your heart, much like how your other one stays above his own. Two hearts beat as one, delivering a mutual confession beknownst only to you and him.

Your lips moved and his unique eyes read them as if they held the meaning of life.

“I’m real, and I’m yours.”

Unable to help himself, Kaeya changes positions to loom over you. He pins your hands by the wrist on either sides of your head. You let him, locking eyes to wait until he regains his anchor to reality. As he straddles you, he leans down and his scarred eye glows with an unknown power. For a moment, the star in his misty blue orb sharpened into a slit. Then, his grip eventually loosens. Your arms soon take the chance to slither around his neck. You pull him down to your level, sensually slow to leave him in intense anticipation. Once he is a mere breath away, you lean up and forward.

Kaeya never fails to find sanctuary in your embrace, and salvation in your kiss. The taste of ambrosia is as addictive as the first time. He wanted more—needed more, even if it meant unequivocal demise.

One of his hands seeks one of yours, pressing against the mattress to interweave. A final message is traced as you both succumb to the passion that has waged wars since the dawn of creation.

“I love you.”

If the day of reckoning ever comes for him, the last hope of Khaenri'ah knows he does not stand alone.

Kaeya will always remember to seek out your light, and savor the hour of respite in your shadow. He holds faith in no god nor archon; but before you, he shall bend the knee in devoted worship.

This lost prince of sinners may be predestined for damnation, but he prays in your name—

“You are my northern star, the light that guides me back home.”

VENTI is a bard whose secrets are guarded by the lullabies of yesteryore and evermorrow. He holds the face of jubilant youth, yet his eyes tell a tale as old as time. While his voice mellifluously sings of tunes so spirited and free, his heart weighs heavy with the burden of an untold sacrilege. A couple thousand years can be a long time, yet the agony remains as fresh as the memories of a lucid dream. As he dons a smile that hopes to brighten the days and luminate the nights of Mondstadt, his soul belies the image of a nameless friend long gone. At times when the winds blew too coldly, he relies on the burning heat that drips down his throat—a taste so fine yet so bitter, like the freedom he idolizes.

Memories remind people what matters most, a life’s purpose to never forsake. However, more often than not, they come with the cruel regrets of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. Henceforth, in tiresome days, the expense of living gets a little too much; and in sleepless nights, the weight of existing gets a little heavier.

Alas, when stars align just right, the wind will lead a pair of soulmates to find one another.

In Venti’s case, you found him.

It is actually very difficult to get him drunk, even if he acts otherwise. To be precise, he recovers quicker by getting sober minutes after he felt tipsy—and then, he would be downing another bottle. It is annoying for someone who just wants to forget his problems, but that is partially why he became accustomed to binge drinking. His rate of alcohol consumption would kill an average human, via alcohol poisoning, by the time he actually blacks out.

Amidst this cold and lonely night, the windborn bard was spared an ounce of warmth by a kind muse.

Venti woke up in a peculiar cottage that smelled of pollen and varnished wood. He heard the chirping of bluebirds, rousing him further away from his drowsy haze. A ray of sunshine peeks through the hanging cheap fabric used as curtains. He sits up, braids all messy with a very entangled bedhead.

As he stumbled out of the bedroom, the familiar sounds of Der Frühling beckoned him to the front porch. His veteran ears can attest that the notes are undoubtedly produced by a musician's hands, but a mere novice in the ways of the lyre. There was a harmonious flow in melody, yet the tone and pitch held little to no finesse in-between transitions. A sense of sheepish uncertainty distorts the song, but there was a certain charm in its dissonance.

He turns a corner, and there he saw you—

—a young dame sat upon a rickety swing, taming the bluebirds that sang for her strings.

The amused bard leaned against the doorway to watch the free show. His gleaming teal eyes stared blatantly, mesmerized by his supposed hostess. You wore an outfit that resembled his, but more modest and somewhat mismatched in color palette—an odd choice for a fellow bard. The only flashy thing about you is the Anemo Vision pinned onto your hair as it tied up your headband braid. It functioned as a hair ornament surrounded with cecilia and windwheel aster petals. A teal silk ribbon was mixed into your braid as its curled tail fluttered under your Vision ornament.

You seem to be inexperienced with the lyre, as Venti had confirmed upon seeing your performance; but you are still quite precise in your play. In theory, you hold enough knowledge to figure out which note works for a particular measure. Before he realized it, his own voice begins humming alongside the chirps of the gathered songbirds.

Alas, joining your small choir of avian creatures had startled them into flying away.

You also stiffened with a surprised jolt, practically snapping your head to look back at him. He does note that it was the birds’ exit that had shocked you, and not his soundly abrupt entrance.

“Ehe~!” Venti giggled nervously, “Sorry about that.”

You fumbled for a moment yet held the lyre firmly, careful to keep it steady. Standing up, you then walk over to him even though you shook in anxiety. Ever so tenderly, you returned his dearest Der Frühling as if handing over a precious baby.

Venti finds this heartwarming and endearing, having not met a fellow bard as considerate as you. He thus receives his lyre with gratitude, tracing its frame and plucking the strings. He marvels at the fact you even polished the instrument and retuned the strings.

“Many thanks, fellow bard~!” He chirped, “My name is Venti. May I know yours?”

You stared blankly at him for a moment, as if taking a few minutes to decipher his words. He spoke a little too quickly on purpose, patiently observing if you would prove his suspicions. As soon as you finally understood, you replied with some stutters in-between your syllables. It seemed more like a sound of uncertainty rather than a speech impediment.

“I-I am…[Name].”

A deaf virtuoso—the windborn bard believes you will make an interesting friend.

Ever since that day, Venti developed a habit of either visiting your abode or seeking you to hang out in the city. His consistent presence helped you be more comfortable in conversations. There was little to no stutters in-between your sentences now. As a bard whom prided himself in knowing all music of the past and future, the art of sign language is a helpful skill he utilized to pleasantly astound you.

The bard had never seen any mortal beam so bright when you smiled at him that day.

While you have gotten comfortable with him, Venti has also grown comfortable with you. There have been many incidents wherein his smiling mask just naturally came down around you. By your side, he felt more freedom than he has ever experienced in the past centuries. He knew it was dangerous to let this continue. The god in disguise has always been meticulously aware of his own feelings; and he was more than aware that he is falling for a mortal he will someday outlive.

However, he found you hard to resist.

Neither Venti nor Barbatos can hope to deny your profoundly unconditional love. What kind of god could reject such a heartfelt offering?

Despite your penchant for playing any available instrument, you preferred not to take center stage. In fact, your hidden knack for taming avian creatures is how you earn a daily living. Every songbird in the City of Freedom knows your tunes and can chirp them on command. This is due to your Anemo Vision, which has a unique ability that enables you to interact with the birds by means of frequency. Depending on how you control the vibrations in the breeze, they will follow like a choir does with a maestro.

You once dedicated a performance to Barbatos and the Four Winds. On that day, Venti heard his wisp brethren amongst the thousand winds croon at you in delight. He witnessed the silhouette of Vennessa’s falcon form hovering above you appraisingly, and a resounding roar can also be heard from Dvalin in his proclaimed lair. There were even the echoing howls of Andrius and his pack in Wolvendom.

This leads him to discover that your true talent lies in writing music. He had seen and read your musical compositions, grinning at every single one. With your permission, he even played a few in your home as payment for your gracious hospitality.

“You can negotiate with bards for this, you know.” He proposed, “I’m no businessman; but even I know letting other musicians play this will earn you a hefty sum of mora.”

You smiled sadly, “N-Nobody…w-would acknowledge music…composed by a deaf girl.” You confessed.

Venti turned solemn as he gazed at you. Although intimidating in its rarity, you are not perturbed by this abrupt change of mood. Your darling bard wears a mask on a daily basis that blurs truth and deceit.

You have become acquainted with them all.

He hummed playfully, “Now that just won’t do.”

You tilt your head confusedly, blinking in surprise when he suddenly takes hold of your hands.

“Ehe~!” He giggled, “Let me play…all of your music, [Name]. In fact, I’ll write…a lyrical ballad…for each of them. We’ll be the best duo…in Mondstadt!”

He had to slow down his speech a bit since he could not use his hands to help you keep up.

Thus, a new routine began for you two.

Venti kept his word. For the next few months, he only sang of the tunes you composed. A few of his regular listeners heard the slightest change in his playstyle. A part of him wished to smile bitterly as other bards and occasional playwrights praised his talent. He pettily made sure to charge thrice from them when he was requested for encores. These fools had rejected you just because of your disability yet they literally sing praises when he played your creations. Any artist worth their salt should have been able to see your potential at a glance.

Nevertheless, he ensured to always come home to you with bags full of mora whenever he plays your music in particular. You deserve nothing less than that, and he refuses to settle for anything else.

Regardless of this success, Venti recognized the melancholy in your eyes. You used to smile radiantly every time you watched him play. Your ears cannot hear the notes but you can feel the vibrations in the air. Your beguiling eyes relished the perfection of just watching Venti play to his heart’s content.

However, he was not blind to your inner turmoil and thus sought to relieve it.

“What’s wrong, Windblume?” He asked.

You hesitate, looking down at your feet. Gently, he props a finger under your chin to raise your head. A tender smile of encouragement implored you to speak your thoughts freely.

“I’m…frustrated.” You replied.

He says nothing but his smile does falter to a glaze of concern, waiting patiently to let you finish.

“I feel…so happy and grateful…when you play my songs.” You confided, “It’s finally being heard…and not just through the songbirds. People are now listening��to how it is supposed to be heard, and how I envisioned it to be played.”

Tears gather in your lovely eyes, overflowing with emotions too much for your heart. Your darling bard does not waver. He raises a hand to cup your cheek in his palm while his fingertips swept your sorrows.

“I want to…” you sobbed, “I want to hear you too!”

Venti held you protectively close, wishing more than anything else to shield you from this wild tempest of emotions. Alas, he was more than aware of the truth that the loveliest of rainbows can only come after the harshest storm. These are the feelings that must have festered for so long within you. People who can hear cruelly turn deaf to the ones whose worlds have been rendered silent. It was as if they do not deserve a voice if they knew not how it sounds. The thought infuriates the bard, reminding him of your beautiful songs discarded as nothing more than the passing chirps of songbirds.

He used his talents to let your ballads be heard.

Perhaps, he can use a different set of talents to let you hear his own?

You gripped onto Venti as if he was your lifeline, a part of you crumbling in sheer relief. He has always encouraged you to never be ashamed of what and how you feel. Whether it be deemed good or bad, all of it belonged to you. They make you human, the reason why he adores you above all. His gentle hand carded through your hair, skillful as when he plucks and strums the strings of Der Frühling. Pulling away slightly, his lips rested upon your temple and then your forehead. They stray towards your cheeks, a taste of salt from your tears.

Lastly, they hover above your own lips—centimeters apart, just a breath before they touch.

Teal eyes glow a shimmering green, both of you becoming enraptured by each other.

Venti needed you to say no more.

He takes you in his arms and spreads his wings. He delivers you to Windrise and its special tree, trusting him so wholly that you did not question him. Instead, you melted in his arms and enjoyed the warm breeze that wrapped around you like a blanket.

Once he sits you down beneath the tree, Venti sits in front of you to place one of your hands right above his heart. It beats steadily yet faintly, present yet not quite—like the wind he controls. He summons Der Frühling and smiles lovingly at you. The crystalflies illuminate his youthful features, providing a mystical glow that enthralls his dearest muse.

“Eyes on me, meine liebe.” He mouths.

Closing his eyes, he begins his private performance.

You frown, wondering what he means to prove with this. Still, you obliged his wishes and kept your eyes solely on him. Your hand remained where he placed it, right over the constant beating of his heart.

Then, you finally noticed the gathering streams of energy around yourself and your lover.

Your Anemo Vision began to glow alongside Venti’s iconic braids. The winds hummed together with him, united under his influence. It is an enchanting image, dazzling you into stunned admiration.

Then, you finally hear him—vocalizing the precious melody you dedicated to him alone. He sang of his past, his present, and his future which are now all intertwined by the whispers of you.

/Gales of song, please stay by my side/

He opens his eyes and releases his lyre. It plays as it floats, and you are mesmerized by how you can hear it all. By power of anemo, he merges your heart with his while enabling your psalm to be immortalized amongst the winds. He reaches up a hand to keep yours on his chest while its pair entangles with the other. His forehead leans on yours, gaze softening as you wept in bliss.

White feathers rained down on the landscape of green and blue. Floating lights illuminated the dark, be they stars or crystalflies. The Statue of the Seven sung in accompaniment to the intimate confessions of Barbatos—to you and for you.

/Winds of love, breathe into my life/

You can hear him so clearly—his regrets, his woes, his dreams, and his love. You hear it all through the song you composed at the thought of him, which he plays at the memory of you.

A fated parting shall occur someday, but he will love no other the way he loves you.

Therefore, with a passionate kiss, he makes you a promise—

“Come what may, you are the melody my heart will always sing.”

DAINSLEIF perseveres as a maverick shaped by his resolutions and driven by conviction. After enduring five centuries, he has earned a fair few titles as his new names. However, these remnants can never piece together his whole existence. As the Twilight Sword, there is no longer a Khaenri'ah to consider as his homeland to protect. As the Bough Keeper, there is no true grace to his purpose while burdened by a curse that shall someday rob him of his own mind and soul. In the eyes of Celestia, he is no more than a sinner doomed to a fate which can be argued as worse than death. As for the rest of the world, he is no more than a listless wanderer whom holds an obsession with stopping a disgrace known as the Abyss Order.

To honor those he had failed in his homeland, he can only move forward in the best way he knew—even if it is against those he had formerly served. Souls of the condemned hold no genuine hope of ascending to Celestia, for they amount to nothing more than heretics that do not worship any god. Therefore, for those who dare to remember, erosion will befall upon them as a final kiss of damnation. Before that day comes for him, this foolish score must be settled so he can meet his demise without regrets.

There is no genuine reward at the end of this tedious and lonesome quest. He is aware.

Nonetheless, the accursed immortal human refuses to falter under the taunt of judgment. If damnation is what shall meet him at the end of this quest, then he shall do it on his own terms. For if he must also end without his resolve, then there will truly be nothing left of him and Khaenri'ah.

There had been instances aplenty wherein the divine is likened to the flowers blossoming across Teyvat; and as a lonesome wanderer, he has grown accustomed to these tragic folklores.

The God of Dust named Guizhong left behind a quiet legacy amongst the glaze lilies. Songs which keep them abloom become tributes to her name.

The Goddess of Flowers known as Nabu Malikata had left her remnants within the padisarahs. Even if not as they were anymore, they serve as a memoir.

Godless they may have been, the glorious nation of Khaenri'ah also held pride over a particular flower—the Inteyvat. Alas, nobody but the former Twilight Sword retains the awareness to recall whom they represent the most.

“My memory has all but faded completely,” a voice murmurs piously, “but I will always remember how much she too loved these flowers.”

Dainsleif spoke not of Lumine here, although she does remind him of the one he reminisces. He dares say travelling with her had been the closest to home, a feeling of warm comfort. However, it never was the same exact happiness he sought in another—a mere ghost in his past. The lost historical relics in Sumeru speak of her as the last Eclipse Princess, whom was hailed as the Heretic Saintess. However, to him, she was the woman he dearly cherishes to this day…

…and the one he laments most for failing to protect in the bout of cataclysmic calamity.

Indeed, the Bough Keeper realizes; this accursed immortality is a fitting punishment for what Celestia deems a sinner. For he can forsake everything, but anything he has left of her will vividly linger. The doomsday of his own reckoning shall be when that too is ripped away from him.

Until then, he will dream of her. Until then, he will foolishly hope for the day they meet again.

Then, like a prayer to a nonexistent god, answers came in the ethereal form of you.

You met Dainsleif on a stormy night. In fact, he just found your cabin in the woods to seek a temporary shelter—injured and knocked unconscious. He was already half-delirious from a high fever, and it did not take a genius to know the man had a rough week. It is not out of kindness that you nursed him back to health, but due to a selfish motive to figure him out.

“Who are you?” You mumbled.

It seems he was not entirely out of it since he still managed to respond clearly.

“Dain…sleif…”

As soon as he muttered back, he eventually fell limp in your arms. For those brief seconds, there was a swelling ache upon your chest—nostalgia. A chilling tingle ran through your spine, like the touch of an invasive ghost on your skin—melancholy. Then, it spreads as smoldering heat to your veins as if to ignite your bloodstream—passion.

“Dainsleif, huh?”

The name felt like velvet on your tongue. His clothes and features were all too familiar to you—a fellow kinsman from Khaenri'ah. However, your eidetic memory never once brought you to a conclusion about this man’s identity. Regardless, your body reacts as if begging for your mind to catch up in recognition.

Even as you tended to him, nothing clicked.

“Your Highness…”

His voice weakly called, raspy and strained as if to choke it out. Your star-shaped pupils dilate as they meet his own hazy glare. His hand was reaching out to you, looking yet not truly seeing.

Alas, you made no move to truly stop him and remained awkwardly staring back.

“You’re dreaming, Sir Dainsleif.”

As if hearing his name from you brought comfort, he settles down again. His eyes start to close but now his hand found yours resting by his bedside. You recoiled yet his grip was oddly firm for a deeply ill patient. Perhaps, you can allow this until he gets some real rest.

When he recovered, Dainsleif vanished as abruptly as he barged into your life.

The next time you met again, it was your turn to be the one in need.

Dainsleif finds you in a clearing of soot and frost, holding a young man desperately. It was as if a clash of fire and ice had occurred under the rain. You look up to him, stars in your eyes shimmering with panic and sorrow. Without a word, he aids you by carrying the unconscious male and leading you back to the cabin. You made no reaction other than grasping onto his cloak tightly, like a lost child.

Despite not wishing to overstay his welcome, the Bough Keeper chose to stay for the night. You were unresponsive to him, as if your mind had shut down completely. A vague memory of a person so similar to you made Dainsleif familiar to the situation. Thus, the task of healing your patient fell to him until you could regain your composure.

“Please be well, Kaeya.” You murmured.

Dainsleif did not pry about your business, giving you the same respect you had done for his privacy. It did, however, astonish him when you took hold of his wrist and dragged him outside with you the next day.

The man named Kaeya stirred awake.

Befuddled, the former Twilight Sword kept silent as he watched from afar with you. Kaeya ate the warm meal you prepared on the table, and mixed emotions flickered in his eyes as he did. His head turned to observe everything in the cabin, searching almost as desperately as you appeared last night. Numerous dreamcatchers and embroideries decorate the walls in a contradictingly systematic manner. The more he analyzed, the more he remembered his childhood—as if your crafts gave him pieces of long forgotten memories. Then, he slowly stood up and made his way to a periwinkle dreamcatcher designed with a pavo ocellus constellation.

A single silver-blue eye gazed out the window, nearly catching your own gaze—

—but you ducked down behind the huge boulders and pulled Dainsleif with you to hide.

Kaeya got his things back and left a small note of gratitude for your care. Wordlessly, he left the cabin with the dreamcatcher now hanging on his belt—right beside his Cryo Vision. He looked back over his shoulder only once to give a bittersweet smile.

“Farewell, sis.” He whispered.

A humming zephyr delivered his message, and then he went back to Mondstadt.

Dainsleif sat down beside you for an entire hour, a mix of pity and empathy. When clarity returned to your eyes, he rose to take his leave. Once again, he was halted on his tracks by your hand grabbing onto his own gloved one.

“Hey,” you said, “do you mind if I go with you?”

Against his better judgment, the cursed immortal agreed after a minute of contemplation.

This newfound journey together has a very tedious beginning, mostly attributed to you. Everything was strange and nothing felt safe, which was expected because you both never stayed in one place. You, whom sought solace in consistency, were always forced to adapt to something new. Sleeping became a chore because you felt every small pebble and thin blade of grass pressing against you. It is by the mere thoughtfulness of your companion that you got a semblance of rest. Dainsleif always covered you in his cape and was willing to hold you soothingly, as if he knows just how to calm you down. There has been moments wherein you had tantrums, and some meltdowns that delayed some plans. Other days, you shut down completely and only wake back up to reality after a day or two.

Dainsleif was shockingly very patient with you, never berating and ready to soothe whenever you are in distress. He never once pushed you to go back. Only once, he offered to take you somewhere to settle after a very bad episode.

“No, I can’t!” You exclaimed, “I have to keep moving. I have to…keep going. Make sure…nobody finds me.”

It was unspoken that you were specifically running away from the City of Freedom, all for avoiding your your younger brother. There is a destiny that kept you both apart even when you mutually wish to be reunited. As children of Khaenri'ah, the former knight can take a guess what that sort of fate presents.

Since then, your travel companion did not question your decision anymore.

Without prompting, Dainsleif seemed used to your symptoms. It was almost eerie how he knew exactly what to say and do in every situation that involved your condition. He makes effort to prepare the same meals that you wish to have every day, and only light fruit snacks at night because you get very restless otherwise. At times he wanted to keep going, he stops himself to make camp for you first on the same evening hour before scouting ahead. He only allows himself to be gone for exactly 45 minutes, which was your limit to being alone whenever you both decide to camp out rather than checking into an inn or hotel. Whenever a wave of unease hits, he keeps a bag of materials that either lets you weave dreamcatchers or tinker an antique you scavenged in the ruins you passed. Every time your mind begins to close off, he sits down with you and holds your hands to meditate. When you need space, he keeps his distance; and when you need companionship, he keeps you close.

“How?” You ask.

Dainsleif raises a brow as he looks down at you. It was in the middle of Lantern Rite as you both watch the festivities from a nearby hill. After indulging in a few stalls, you calmed by playing with his fingers as your head rested on his lap. He knows the meaning to your one-worded inquiry, and he wonders how to answer you truthfully.

“I knew someone similar to you.” He said.

You sat up before blankly staring into his eyes, stars meeting stars. Tilting your head, a flash of curiosity brought light to your emotionless gaze.

“The princess…?” You asked.

The Bough Keeper blinked in surprise.

“You dreamed of her a lot when we first met.”

Your statement made him look away bashfully, a bit embarrassed to be reminded.

“Was she important to you?” You asked.

At this, he looks at you in the eyes. His star-shaped pupils practically gleam with an emotion you could not read—or perhaps, could not comprehend.

“She is my dearest one.” He declared.

Normal people probably would have felt jealous at that confession. He even used a present tense to show that his feelings have not wavered.

You and Dainsleif never gave a label to this peculiar relationship, but you hold a mutual understanding that it had grown to more than just friends. It was a development nurtured by meaningful exchanges and secretive affections. The sentiments are far from platonic or familial, that much is sure.

That night, when you released a lantern, you made a fleeting wish—

—not to the gods, but to the princess.

“Please look after Dainsleif.”

Meanwhile, the Twilight Sword fondly gazes upon your form. The image of your past self overlaps with the present. He recalls the ever sleepless nights of guarding you in the tower. Starlight showered upon your figure leaning by the windowframe. Delicate hands reach out to set free artificial crystalflies that glow as wisps of moonlight. A breath of laughter is echoed in the lonely room, and then he is blessed by a smile more divine than Celestia.

The memory flickers as the silver starlights are replaced by golden lanterns, and your humble self stood in place of the estranged saintess—

—but that smile remains.

Morning welcomed Dainsleif with the strange sight of you looming over him. With practiced ease, he resumes calm as he let you do as you please like it was nothing unusual. He knows of your quirks just as you are aware of his boundaries. There is mutual trust of consent that tells which actions would be acceptable anytime. He did gulp a little nervously as his drowsy eyes analyzed you. His hands twitched but he willed them to stay in place despite his inner yearning.

Disheveled, you were straddling him while still in your nightgown. Your hair was messily draped over your shoulders, creating a curtain around the blond man beneath you. A glazed veil engulfs your eyes like a dreamy countenance of a faraway reverie.

“Dain…”

“What is it, [Name]?”

“I had a dream last night.”

“A dream, you say?”

You nod, leaning down almost conspirationally yet the expression on your face remains unreadable. A gasp hitched in his throat as your lips strayed to his ear, whispering shakily—

“I remember, Dain.”

Realization struck him.

Dainsleif switches positions with you yet he receives no protest. His ungloved hands cup your face in order to meet your eyes with his own beseeching pair. You see his visage, unmasked and vulnerable, that longingly wish for your approval.

You nodded.

Dainsleif claims your lips in ardent greed, and you responded in eager devotion.

Intertwined, redamancy is bliss for the reunited knight and his only princess—

“Your heart is the only other half that can ever complete mine.”

[gold-rhine]

For the ask game :tell me why you love nuevi or kaeya! Feel free to talk A Lot I like your long posts

i also love reading my long posts, i wish i wrote them more asdfghjk its hard for me to just talk unspecifically about character without like pointed theme bc to me it feels like everything is obvious and everyone understands same things, why am i spelling it out.

anyway, KAEYA. my prettiest cursed princess. noble daughter of the fallen aristocratic family with generational curse coded. jon snow AND daenerys targaryen vibes at the same time. why noble daughter? bc instead of how heirs of nobles are kept close and taught to rule, his family treats him like pawn, like currency, his fate determined at his birth with no agency, sent away to another family he has to fit in. he's not a bastard, but he is half blood, and he cannot return. he's brother to diluc, but not equal, no matter how much they get along, like jon to robb stark. dawn winery is not his home, he's only welcomed conditionally, when diluc allows it. told to be "last hope", but what he's last hope of is a rotting cursed shambles of hubris. but even with how badly he was treated, he's still torn with loyalty to them, with duty, he still tried to ran away to khaenriah as a kid, just like dany wants to go to westeros. terrible prophecy hangs over him and he knows it. we don't even know if alberichs were really regents or if clothar is just delusional and sees himself forming abyss order as "regency"! he wants to walk off the stage, but he can't. and even if he could, he won't, not in the end, because against his will he still cares about people left on that stage who do not know what they are in

and he's coping with all of that by not letting people close even though he's lonely bc that curse and prophecies hang over him, bc he learnt from diluc he will not be accepted unconditionally no matter how loyal he is, no matter how good of a friend and brother he is, no matter how much punishments he takes for diluc and how he follows him like a shadow. he tried so hard to be a perfect child in dawn winery, polite and sweet and it didn't matter in the end. and now he's hating himself for secrecy and underhanded ways he was forced into as a child and deeming himself bad, finding ways to blame himself even for doing good deeds bc he's such a manipulator, treating relationships as transactions of favors to keep score, to keep in control.

mask worn for long, it grew into him and is impossible to take off now. "and they say my charm is fake" he IS naturally charming, he just had to learn to use it as a weapon. he IS sweet and interested in people, he just had to learn to get profit out of it. the worst thing he could be is himself. sad adult with a fake smile. and at the same time he's proud, he's talented, he's funny and sarcastic, he likes goofy jokes and slipping clever metaphors into silly stories, he likes writing books for people he cares about with advises on how to solve problems and deal with people, and also likes telling stories and can improvise a monologue on a stage. he should have been an actor and a writer, but duty to one father threw him into mond and duty to the other locked him into knights, so now he's just miserable, he's a hedonist, a cynic, he can't have real connections, so he will take pleasure and attention and use it for his greater means, he's coping with substance abuse, but he is so paranoid he will not be caught actually drunk bc that's weakness. he wants to belong so much, but think he's not allowed to. traveler finding him in the shadows after he tries to leave community event HE organized and dragging his reluctant ass by hand is THE theme for them tbh.

[tartigglez]

HELLO!! the bubble emoji anon here. on pc.. so no emojis for me today [heart breaking emoji]. what do i do without emojis??? die?? yes.

ANYWAYS. saw u in need of fluff. me too.

diluc and reader who r absolutely pining for each other but aren't together. the little things. omg. the long hugs. the quick glances. the denial to coworkers/friends.. "no we are nOT together!!" (pls date me diluc) brushing of the fingers in public. trying to squeeze out every last minute together. SECRET EYE CONTACT AT THE SAME TIME!!! BLUSHING!!!! aaAAAAAHAHAHAHAH

per standard, i went off prompt, forgive me.

"if you need me"

diluc x gn!reader

genre: fluff (ish)

word count: 1.4k

tags: kaeya jumpscare, also venti kajhdjfak, farts (don't ask), diluc probably has problems with his emotions (if i write him, when does he not?), lil kisses cuz why not

tw/cw: alcohol, reader refuses to address their emotions (oops), also reader cries at one point (immediately comforted)

a/n: when will i ever stick to a prompt...

when you discovered that angels share was hiring, you were the first to jump upon the opportunity. after all, who wouldn’t want to work somewhere with decent pay, such a social environment, and under such a handsome boss…

1 day

“you’re the new employee, right?”

“uhm, yeah! that’s me!”

“right… your résumé is… impressive”

“thank you, master diluc”

“just diluc is fine”

“o-okay”

“most of your shifts will be shared with charles, but i will be working alongside you too. remember to wipe down the bar often, check the stock after each shift et cetera, i’m sure charles will keep you right”

“yep, okay!”

as he turned to go out of the bar and back to the winery, he snapped his head back towards you while you were putting your apron on. 

“oh and, if a little green man with a lyre comes in here, kick him out by eleven, lest mondstadt experiences some sort of unfortunate wind”

“unfortunate… wind?”

“no it's- not like that”

diluc seemed to turn a little red, having accidentally suggested that lord barbatos had some sort of issue with his bowels.

“haha, no worries. i’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“yes, good luck. if you have any questions, ask charles”

3 days

“y/n, are you settling in well?”

“ah, hi! i've started getting used to the customers, that’s for sure.”

“have you run into any problems with them?”

“no, no, not at all. it can just be rather busy in here sometimes. between the knights and the guild, people really drink like crazy”

“hm, i suppose that’s one thing the knights are good at. if you need me, i’ll be in the back”

2 weeks

this is your fifth shift with diluc. he can be quite tense at times, but once you manage to initiate a good conversation with him about something he’s interested in, he can be quite chatty. you had encountered this the last time you had a shift together, when he began talking about some specialty wine that the winery was producing, it was actually quite pleasant, watching the man talking about this interest of his, although he did get a little embarrassed when he realised he had gone off on a rant. 

the events of todays shift however, included…

diluc accidentally making eye contact with you, at least four times (it was not an accident, he was very intentionally looking at you)

the pair of you touching hands multiple times whilst trying to serve customers

and also, for some reason, diluc getting somewhat annoyed at a random knight captain who happened to waltz into the tavern and begin trying to sweet talk you. 

4 weeks

by this point you’ve already learned that diluc and kaeya -as you now called him- were brothers, but had some sort of tension between them, which you also figured would be best not to meddle in. they were always at each others throats, but when they were apart, were both quite pleasant to be around. you had even hung out with kaeya once, sharing a meal at good hunter. 

this would prove to be a mistake though, because he did nothing the entire time except continually asking if you were “canoodling” his brother. of course you denied it, feeling rather flustered. why on earth would someone date their boss? even though things did seem a little flirty between the two of you, it was a definite that nothing could happen, right? of course diluc made you only seem more suspicious, as he saw you and kaeya at lunch, immediately approached you both, and sat way too close to you, almost as if he was jealous or something! what an awkward meal. 

2 months 

personal issues were not something you had to deal with often, but when you did, you tended to shut them down, ignore them, and continue with life. you weren’t one to dwell. however, on the particular day in question, you were pretty upset, and this only seemed to get worse the more people asked you how your day was going whilst ordering a drink. you also knew that diluc would be coming in for his shift later, and you really didn't feel like dealing with his stoicism today. of course he’s nice to be around, just… a little awkward? he doesn’t make you uncomfortable or anything, he’s just not very chatty, and wouldn’t be great about distracting you from your feelings.

you could eventually hear some noise in the back, and realised this was diluc, probably sorting stock, or taking inventory, something along those lines. you, however, were still serving customers, taking drink orders, the usual. 

of course, the later it got, the drunker customers became, your mood began to slowly get worse. you were exhausted, and honestly just wanted to go home and cry. it's been a rough day. you also happened to notice that the fridge below the counter was running low on bottles, so you’d best go stock it. 

as you entered the back room, you saw diluc at the desk, filing paperwork. he’d been there for hours, and still hadn’t gone out front to say hello to you. 

“y/n”

“diluc”

gosh, the silence could be cut with a knife. 

“y’know, it's common practice to greet your employees when you feel like gracing them with your presence”

“i know, i'm sorry, it's just that i got caught up with something and i- are you okay?”

“huh- what? yeah, yeah, i’m fine”

so it seems that the tears in your eyes were still noticeable after all…

he slowly got up from his seat, coming to stand beside you at the shelf.

“i’ll ask again… are you okay?”

this time, you were choked up. you feared that if you spoke, the lump in your throat might dissipate, and you may just begin spilling tears. so, you opted for shaking your head, thinking this would work better, but it didn’t, you still began crying anyway.

“hey, hey, it’s okay. whatever it is, it's okay, i’m here”

he pulled you towards him, allowing you to sob into his chest. what on earth…?

“you should’ve told me, y/n”

“i know but, i thought maybe i’d get distracted and i-”

“it’s okay. i assure you. do you want to go home?”

you just nodded against his chest, breathing in his scent, because you knew you’d have to let him go.

“alright, you can go out the back”

he somewhat awkwardly let go of you, before sending you on your way. how strange. how is he so nice one minute, then as cold as to send you home the next? 

“see you tomorrow, y/n”

“s-see you…”

2 months, 1 day

a ringing of your doorbell woke you up, as opposed to your alarm, which was worrying in itself. you quickly checked the clock in your room. shit! 1pm? late for work... how on earth could you have slept this much? and what did this mysterious person at the door want?

you slothed your way out of bed, hair awry, pyjamas…wrinkled, going to the front door to see what this person could possibly want at this time on a tuesday. approaching the door, you saw a tall figure, clad in a red jacket, with something in hand… it couldn’t be… is it…

“diluc?”

“diluc? hi- yes- diluc- me!”

he sighed at himself, meanwhile you were wondering what he was doing with such a massive bouquet of flowers.

“hi”

“hi”

“i um… wanted to… bring you flowers… because…”

“because…?”

“uhm… would you like to go to dinner tonight? I mean- we can- just- not... if you don't want to... i mean-”

“i’d love to.”

“oh, um… okay! great. here you go…”

he handed you the flowers gently, looking beyond anxious at this point, a blush to compete with the colour of his hair dashed across his cheeks. 

“they’re beautiful, diluc”

“you’re- uhm… never mind”

“hah, see you tonight?”

“see you tonight”

he smiled into the words he spoke, before turning around to depart from your doorstep. this however, was interrupted when you grabbed his wrist, turned him around and pecked him on the cheek. he was about to explode. literally. however, his spontaneous combustion was interrupted by someone yelling across the street…

“i knew it!”

of course, you and diluc responded in sync…

“SHUT UP KAEYA!”

hehe